A study conducted by the “Center for Family Studies and Research in Values and Law” revealed that 80% of Moroccans are in favor of polygamy, whereas 16% oppose its inclusion in family law. A smaller faction supports polygamy only in exceptional circumstances such as infertility or illness. The primary obstacles to polygamy are financial capability (53%), housing concerns (over 10%), and physical and psychological preparedness (approximately 8.3%).
Among women who accept polygamy, 36% cited delayed marriage as a contributing factor, while 26.6% mentioned poverty and instability. Love was mentioned as a reason by 17% of respondents, and 14.5% pointed to the challenges faced by young men in meeting marital responsibilities.
Among men who support polygamy, 33.7% believed they could provide for multiple families, 28% desired to have more children, and 15% associated it with notions of manhood or love.
The study also highlighted the fact that a greater number of women (39%) than men possessed a comprehensive understanding of Moroccan family law, primarily due to civil reasons (“civil reasons” refers to legal or administrative factors that contribute to a person’s understanding of Moroccan family law. It could include knowledge gained through legal education, engagement with legal institutions, or familiarity with civil codes and regulations). This was followed by personal reasons (20.7%), academic knowledge (around 20.7%), and family issues (19.2%).
Lastly, while 42.7% of participants were aware of changes made to the family code, more than 15% had no knowledge of these modifications.
