The average age gap between Moroccan spouses has risen from 7.2 years in 2004 to 7.9 years in 2018, according to a recent note from the High Commission for Planning (HCP).
“In Morocco, half of the couples had an age difference of more than 6 years in 2004 and more than 7 years in 2011 and 2018. As for the average age gap, it rose from 7.2 years in 2004 to 7.7 years in 2011, then to 7.9 years in 2018,” says the HCP in this note entitled “the woman and age gap between spouses in Morocco.”
Published on the occasion of National Women’s Day, which is celebrated on October 10, the note highlights the different age gaps does not change depending on the areas of residence.
Couples living in urban areas had an average age gap of about 7.4 years in 2004, 7.9 years in 2011 and 8.1 years in 2018.
Couples living in rural areas have average age gaps 0.4 years lower than urban couples for all three survey years, the same source added.
This increase in the average age gap, observed nationwide since 2004, is the result of a decrease in the share of women married to younger or same-age men, on the one hand, and an increase in the share of women married to older men, on the other, HCP explains.
In 2018, it is found that 87.1% of women were found to be younger than their husbands, 9.5% are the same age and only 3.4% are older. These percentages were at about 82.9%, 12.0% and 5.1% respectively in 2004.
In addition, the percentage of couples with age gaps ranging between 2 and 9 years is decreasing, while the percentage of couples with gaps between 10 and 20 years is increasing over time.
Data sources used in the note are the 2004, 2011, and 2018 National Population and Family Health Surveys.
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