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Life does not pause

Even in a migratory context, life goes on. People fall in love, get married, have children, and say goodbye to loved ones. But how do you navigate these intimate life events in a country like Morocco — long seen as a place people leave, or pass through, but which is now also a place where many are putting down roots?

Take birth, for example. Will the baby be registered? How, if Moroccan law formally requires a marriage certificate, and the parents’ marriage hasn’t been registered with any state, but was celebrated and socially recognised by family and community? What happens when someone dies? Why do some families choose to repatriate the body, while others opt for burial in Morocco — where Christian cemeteries are expensive and religion-neutral burial spaces non-existent?

The project starts from the perspective of migrants but also asks how Moroccan authorities manage these events administratively by mapping the legal and regulatory frameworks.

The project combines both written and audio-visual outputs to share its findings. Curious? Watch the video!

How the research developed

As you have seen in the video, we initially started this project looking at formal processes — laws, registration systems, and state rules. But very soon, it became clear that informal norms matter just as much. Religious traditions, cultural customs, and expectations from within migrant communities shape how people act. Many respondents worried about social stigma or backlash and took steps to avoid it.

One unexpected finding: a substantial South Asian community in Morocco — almost completely overlooked in both academic research and policy debates in Europe and Morocco. This research offers rare insights into how they build life and experience marriage and birth.