Morocco still suffering from persistent child labor, says OXFAM

A recent Oxfam in Morocco report has revealed that child domestic labor remains a major problem in the country, “although the government has made progress in reducing the scourge and increasing the number of children in school, efforts are not sufficient to address the specific characteristics of child domestic labor.”

Entitled “Little hands, big chores – Domestic work of little girls: an offense to Moroccan childhood”, the report notes that the factors triggering this situation are multiple, ranging from gender discrimination to social exclusion, lack of educational opportunities and domestic violence.

Cultural norms also play an important role as parents send their daughters to “safe” places before they become married women. Employers often hire underage workers because they are cheaper and more compliant.

Although Morocco implemented a domestic labor law in 2018, it remains difficult to enforce due to a lack of means to monitor households. In addition, Moroccans’ access to justice is not always guaranteed, as corruption and clientelism are common practices in the system, and distrust of institutions discourages women and men from using their right to seek justice in cases of conflict, injustice, or violence.

The report notes that poverty and social norms perpetuate gender inequality in the country, but are detrimental to the kingdom’s youth.

Figures show that 50% of the population own less than 5% of the total wealth, and children are the first victims of poverty and vulnerability, with 35.4% of the poor population and 28% of the vulnerable population aged 0-14 years.

In addition, 148,000 children are economically active in 2021, representing 2% of the population aged 7 to 17. About 59.4% of them perform hazardous work, and this concerns 1.2% of children in this age group, says the Oxfam report.

While noting that Morocco has experienced profound changes and remarkable advances over the past five decades, dynamic economic growth, and progress in reducing poverty, the NGO stresses that social and economic inequalities are holding back its ambitions.

It has therefore formulated several conclusions and recommendations, including an evolution of institutional norms on the issue of gender, a reform of the legal framework towards more equality and the integration of a gender approach into all legislation.

Urgent reform is also needed for all stakeholders to propose the necessary amendments to the law without effect, she noted. Finally, Oxfam points out that children are the first victims of income inequalities, with limited access to quality education and health services.