Widespread Controversy Following Attempt to Marry a Minor in Kenitra.. The INJAD Network Takes Legal Action
The issue of child marriage has resurfaced in human rights discussions in Morocco after a poignant call circulated on social media regarding an attempt to marry a girl aged no more than 14 to an older man in a rural area of Kenitra, through what is known as “Fatiha marriage.”
The case, which sparked a wave of anger and condemnation, prompted the INJAD network against gender-based violence, part of the Federation of Women’s Rights Associations, to act quickly. They filed two official complaints with the Public Prosecutor at the Court of Appeals in Kenitra, and with the Public Prosecution and the Public Prosecutor at the Court of Cassation in Rabat.
The network described the incident as a “serious assault on the child’s rights,” emphasizing that such acts constitute a form of violence against girls, exposing them to early exploitation and depriving them of education. They called for strict enforcement of laws to protect minors and prevent the continuation of this illegal marriage.
In turn, INJAD’s president, Najia Tazrout, stressed the need for a serious approach to this issue, considering that the persistence of such practices “undermines national efforts to curb child marriages and threatens the legal gains achieved in recent years.”
Conversely, many social media users expressed their outrage at what they termed “normalization of Fatiha marriage,” demanding accountability for those involved in the attempt to marry the child. They asserted that protecting minors is not just a legal responsibility but a societal and ethical duty.
This incident reignites the debate on the need to intensify monitoring of such practices and to launch stricter initiatives to protect girls from early marriage, ensuring their rights to childhood, education, and a dignified life.
