The Moroccan “Petites Bonnes”: causes and socio-educational consequences
Abstract
In Morocco, as a result of multiple variables, infant labor is common, especially theuse of girls in domestic work, commonly known as “petites bonnes”. This is a reality that affects tens of thousands of girls working every day doing houseworkfor a petty amount of money. Overhalf of them, are not even 15 years old. They work in isolation and they are often subject to verbal, physical, and emotional abuse.This situation prevents them from getting access to a proper education, which ends up hindering or even ruining their long-term future. Despite awareness campaigns, the “petites bonnes” stand out as a standard practice in the country, which makes its eradication a very difficult matter. Families, middlemen, and employers are involved in a system that benefits all the ends involved. The actions available to take are
countless, since this issue affects both society and families. Nevertheless, the enforcement
of the existing legal provisions in the Labour Code and the Family Code, together with the adequate functioning of the education system, avoiding the blatant violation of compulsoty schooling, might be enough to put an end to the “petite bonnes” phenomenon.
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