Spain Says Children Adopted from Morocco Must Remain Muslim

Moroccan children adopted by Spanish families will be monitored by the Moroccan government until they reach the age of 18—but not to check up on their overall well being. Instead, Morocco intends to ensure that the adopted children remain culturally and religiously Muslim.

Morocco enforces an Islamic practice called kafala, which prevents conversion to Christianity among adopted children by ensuring that children are raised Muslim.

According to the Gatestone Institute, Morocco issued a provision preventing foreign adoptionsto non-Moroccan residents, but the new Spanish agreement overrides that restriction. Spain reportedly agreed to allow Morocco to monitor the adopted children in order to finalize pending Spanish-Moroccan adoptions.

CT previously has reported on the topics ofSpain, Morocco, and adoption, including theshort-supply of available foreign adoptions and the trend toward open adoptions in the United States. CT also noted Russia’s recent decision to restrict adoptions of Russian children to American parents.