Morocco registered 8,955 child marriages in 2024, a sharp decline from 26,298 cases in 2017, according to Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi. Despite the decrease, Ouahbi said the problem remains particularly acute in rural areas. In a written response to parliament, the minister noted that requests for underage marriage continue to outpace actual cases, with rural areas bearing the brunt. But the trend reversed again in 2024, when 15,425 applications were submitted, with more than 11,000 from rural families. Ouahbi argued that reducing child marriage requires more than legal reforms.