Morocco
Country information
Morocco
1. International Family Mediation
Family mediation in Morocco is legally recognised. According to the Family Code (1958), conciliation and mediation mechanisms should be strengthened through the involvement of the family and the judge. The Code of Civil Procedure (2008) also contains a clause on the appointment of a designated mediator. Family mediation officers can be contacted through the directory of the Ministry of Family, Solidarity, Equality and Social Development. You can also contact Family Mediation Centers in the country that are supported by the Ministry (webpage in Arabic).
There is, to our knowledge, no specialised structure for international family mediation in Morocco.
2. International Legal Framework
1) Morocco is a Party to the 1980 Hague Convention.
The 1980 Hague Convention: a multilateral treaty which provides procedural guidelines on the return of children and their protection in cases of international parental child abduction.
Contact the Central Authority established in Morocco for cases of child abduction (operational languages: Arabic, English and French).
2) Morocco is a Party to the 1996 Hague Convention.
The 1996 Hague Convention: a multilateral treaty which determines jurisdiction, applicable law, co-operation in respect of parental responsibility and access rights, as well as civil and public measures for the protection or care of children.
Contact the Central Authority established in Morocco for cases of dispute concerning cross-border parental responsibilities and rights of contact with children (operational languages: Arabic, English and French).
3) Morocco is a Party to Bilateral Conventions with France.
The list of bilateral conventions concerning parental responsibilities involves treaties signed between Morocco and France (website in French).
You can determine whether countries relevant to your case are Parties, or not, to the 1980 Hague Convention on International Child Abduction and/or the 1996 Hague Convention on Child Protection in order to locate the appropriate central authority. As for the 1980 Hague Convention, you can check whether the Convention is in force between two specific States in the Spreadsheet showing acceptances of accessions to the Child Abduction Convention.
3. Legal and Psycho-Social Expertise and Support
The National Union of Moroccan Women (UNFM) is an organisation of public utility that assists Moroccan women to benefit from their own intellectual and financial capacities (website in French or Arabic). Its listening centers offer legal advice, mediation between spouses in order to reconcile them. UNFM wiretapping centers receive complainants throughout the week, from 9 am to 4 pm, except on days off. Please find list of listening centers here.
L’Entraide works under the umbrella of the Ministry of Family, Solidarity, Equality and Social development and has Multifunctional Centers in 10 cities that provide social assistance. It also can refer you to other social assistance associations. Please contact them here (website in French).
Center Assafae for Family and Youth Support (CAPAS) is an independent, non-profit organisation that provides support to families and youth in the event of marginalisation, poverty, delinquency, etc. Among its activities, they offer listening sessions for young people and the family, conferences, seminars and training for young people.
The Al Khaima Association defends human rights and offers child protection, training of social actors and intervention in the field of migration according to a transnational approach. They do not have a website, but here is their contact information:
Quartier Souani. 10, Rue Atlas, Lot Tarik n°1 90.000,
Tanger, Morocco
Telephone and Fax: +212 539 316 172
Mobile: +212 675 417 333
Email: association.alkhaima(at)gmail.com
The Karama Association for the Development of Women generally aims to improve the situation of women through development in areas such as education, education, legal and vocational training. Its objectives include combating all kinds of violence and discrimination against women and protecting the family from divorce. You can contact the president of the Association:
Mme Ouafaa Ben Abdelkader,
Rue Zayzafoune 6, Lot. Narjes Branes 2,
Tanger, Morocco
Telephone and Fax: +212 539 315 430
Mobile: +212 661 551 545
Email: karama_ouafae(at)hotmail.com
INSAF is a non-profit association founded and recognised as a public utility (website in French). The association offers accommodation as well as administrative, legal, medical and psychological support, training, social and professional reintegration to single mothers and their children.
4. Child Welfare Services
The Moroccan League for the Protection of Children (LMPE) is a non-governmental non-profit organisation of public utility. The League takes care of children in situations of vulnerability, promotes and preserves their fundamental rights. They provide also psychological support to mothers in distress through their listening and guidance centers in the kingdom. Please contact here the League’s central office that will refer you to their regional centers (website in French).
The BAYTI Association is a non-governmental not-profit organisation recognised in the public interest and working in Morocco for the protection and psycho-social reintegration of children in difficult situations (website in French). The Association offers them pedagogical services and activities. They welcome children aged 6-18 years who are in major danger and whose family is unable to take care of them, as well as children seeking vocational guidance, enrolment in non-formal education, school re-registration and administrative and legal assistance, in particular for non-registered children and children victims of all kinds of violence.
SOS Children's Villages in Morocco offers a Family Strengthening Program to help children at risk, who may be abandoned or whose rights may be violated. The program also helps single mothers in distress so they can keep their children with them and raise them in dignity. They work in Casablanca, Imzouren and El Jadida. You can contact them via their national office in Casablanca here (website in French).
5. Support to Bi-National Couples, Cross-Cultural and Migrant Families
The National Migrants Protection Platform is a network of organisations and civil society actors based in Morocco and active in the field of migration and human rights (website in French). Its members are grassroots organisations, directly involved with the migrant population, and / or advocacy.
Caritas Morocco promotes the rights of migrants by normalising their access to common law services (health, education, civil status) or by facilitating their integration (vocational training, employability). This work is carried out notably through day care centres for migrants located in the cities of Rabat, Casablanca and Tangier, as well as through collaboration with Moroccan institutions and civil society organisations working in this field. Please contact the Diocese of Rabat or the Archdiocese of Tangiers (websites in French).
Some of the hyperlinks you will find in the texts of this section lead you to websites available only in the native language of the country chosen. Copy the URL-address and paste it in Google Translate, choose your language and click on “translate” to find the whole website available.
Access to Professionals / Hotlines:
- In case of physical, sexual and psychological child abuse, you can reach the Listening Center of the National Observatory of Child Rights at 080000 25 11 (website in French).
Useful brochures / Documents of reference:
Useful guides for parents concerning mediation practice and child abduction prevention can be found in our Library.