Fewer children, more seniors as fertility drops across Maghreb

Across the Maghreb, families are having fewer children, as economic pressures and changing social norms reshape family life.

In Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, fertility rates have fallen by more than half since the 1970s. For many young couples, the rising cost of living is making larger families increasingly difficult to manage.

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.

But demographers say the decline is about more than money. Later marriage, delayed childbearing and wider access to contraception are also contributing to changing fertility patterns. Rising educational attainment among women, difficulties entering the workforce and evolving expectations around family life are also playing a role.

The consequences could extend beyond individual households. 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.