“Ashura Rights” – Children Begging in the Streets Under the Guise of a Popular Tradition
As Ashura approaches, cities across Morocco witness recurring scenes of young children wandering alone or in groups, extending their hands to passersby in search of what they term “Ashura rights.”
These children are typically between the ages of 9 and 13. Some sneak out of their homes, while others beg with the blessing of their families, who view this as part of the traditions associated with the occasion. However, behind this innocent facade lies a troubling reality marked by risks and unspoken abuses.
A Popular Tradition Turns to Begging
In lower-income neighborhoods, it is customary for parents to give their children small amounts of money during Ashura for buying sweets or drums. However, for some, this familial ritual has devolved into genuine begging, occurring outside the home and beyond parental supervision.
Mohammed, a father of three from Kenitra, states, “Some children do not return home until nightfall, having collected amounts that sometimes reach hundreds of dirhams.” He adds that some parents encourage their children to go out and gather money during this occasion, “claiming it’s an unmissable opportunity.”
Dangers in the Streets
Children roaming the crowded alleys, markets, and cafés without accompaniment or protection expose themselves to various hazards. In some areas, children may be lured, or even harassed. Others experience theft or are lost. Some even temporarily drop out of school to beg during this period.
What is most concerning is that these practices occur with a complete lack of actual supervision from families, under the guise of a popular tradition that some see as a pretext for these dangerous deviations.
“Ashura Rights” and Begging for Celebratory Items
Children do not ask for money for basic needs; rather, they seek funds to buy items related to celebrating Ashura, primarily drums, tambourines, and firecrackers. These children collect money themselves, moving from neighborhood to neighborhood and café to café until they gather enough for their “celebration.”
In some areas, these fireworks become a source of noise and danger, especially when used near cars or by children who are unaware of potential hazards.
Statement from an Educational Expert
Educator and journalist Idris Titi expressed his concern about the phenomenon, stating in a special interview, “With each Ashura, disturbing trends emerge… While the fireworks capture attention, my worry as an educator and community actor is what is called Ashura rights.”
He continued, “This habit, which should be a simple symbolic gesture among neighbors, has evolved into a dangerous doorway for child begging on the streets, particularly at traffic lights and shops, where we see children trained to beg rather than build their own identities.”
Titi emphasized that “this is the first step toward systematic begging, and if we don’t pay attention today, we’ll find ourselves tomorrow facing a generation that learns that profit comes without effort, easily… a generation that seeks to beg rather than to learn.”
He directed a direct message to families, the state, and civil society, calling for the prohibition of child begging under any pretext, the activation of educational supervision, and the implementation of laws protecting children from exploitation. He also urged organizations to take an awareness-raising role for families and provide motivating educational alternatives.
He concluded by saying, “We want a cohesive generation, not a hollow one… a generation that builds the nation, not one standing at its gates begging.”
Lack of Oversight and Societal Normalization
Despite laws prohibiting child begging, the reality reflects a near-complete absence of effective intervention. Scenes of begging children repeat daily, without eliciting a reaction from families or authorities.
The societal normalization of this phenomenon paves the way for Ashura to become a seasonal occasion for conditioning children to ask for money instead of seeking knowledge, and to learn ease rather than to put in effort.
