Morocco weighs legal recognition of unpaid domestic labor, a potential first for the MENA region

Morocco is considering landmark reforms that would formally recognize unpaid domestic labor—primarily carried out by women—as work worthy of compensation in cases of divorce and inheritance. If adopted, the policy would make Morocco the first country in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to legally codify domestic labor as worthy of financial recognition.

This week, legal experts and women’s rights advocates gathered in Rabat for a seminar focused on how to reflect the value of household labor within the country’s legal framework. The event was part of a joint program with the EU and the Council of Europe. It coincides with Morocco’s first update to its Family Code in two decades.

In a read-out of a speech by Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi, he described domestic labor as “a fundamental factor in wealth production,” emphasizing that its legal recognition is essential to achieving gender equality.

According to the Policy Centre for the New South, women perform more than 90% of unpaid domestic labor in Morocco, averaging around five hours per day. Despite its economic significance, this labor remains legally invisible—receiving no consideration in divorce settlements or inheritance rulings.

A draft of the revised Family Code, unveiled in December 2024, includes provisions that would acknowledge domestic work in legal decisions concerning financial and property division. However, the Moroccan parliament has yet to announce a vote on the proposed amendments.

Should the reforms be enacted, Morocco would set a precedent in the region by formally valuing the economic contributions of domestic labor in legal proceedings.