Families across the Maghreb region are growing smaller as changing social dynamics and economic challenges reshape traditional household structures.
Fertility rates throughout Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia have plummeted by over 50 percent since the 1970s. For many young couples today, navigating the escalating cost of living makes raising a large family financially unfeasible.
Ahmed, a 21-year-old student, said he would prefer to have two children so he could balance their needs with those of their parents. Bouchra Bekioua, a 21-year-old bride-to-be, similarly said families increasingly see two children as more manageable. Achraf Boukhamera, 25, pointed to low average incomes as another reason couples are choosing smaller families.
However, experts emphasize that financial strain is only one piece of the puzzle. Later marriage ages, postponed childbearing, and widespread access to birth control are significantly altering demographic trends. Higher educational attainment among women, modern expectations regarding family structures, and obstacles to entering the job market also play critical roles in this transition.
These shifting trends carry broader implications for the region. Hassen Kassar, a professor of demography and social sciences, says Tunisia is already seeing a decline in its working-age population alongside a growing proportion of older people.
He warns that this demographic shift could increase the country’s need for migrant labour, as fewer young people enter the workforce in the years ahead.
