ANSS maps Morocco’s social vulnerability through five beneficiary profiles

14:32

By: Dakir Madiha

ANSS maps Morocco’s social vulnerability through five beneficiary profiles

The National Social Support Agency in Morocco has identified five distinct categories of households receiving Direct Social Assistance. The classification relies on statistical clustering that groups beneficiaries according to living conditions rather than administrative or demographic criteria. Officials state that this approach improves understanding of household needs and reveals the diversity of vulnerability across the country.

The largest category, called Emerging Households, represents 30.9 percent of beneficiaries, or more than 1.2 million households. These are mainly rural nuclear families headed by adults in their forties. Their situation reflects unstable income during a family formation phase. Authorities describe their vulnerability as reversible through measures such as economic integration, preschool access, and school support.

The second group, Turning Point Families, accounts for 25.2 percent of beneficiaries, or 986,265 households. These households are typically led by individuals in their fifties and face rising pressure linked to education costs and household needs of adolescent or young adult children. Limited training and weak labor market integration of parents also shape their situation. Support measures focus on vocational training, income generation, and access to healthcare.

Two additional profiles highlight ageing-related vulnerability. Stronger Together includes rural elderly couples living alone, representing 24.8 percent of beneficiaries, or about 946,000 households. Empty Nests consists of elderly women living alone, including widows and single women, representing 15.1 percent, or 584,168 households. Both groups face limited retirement income, mobility constraints, and weak family support networks, increasing their exposure to poverty and social isolation.

The smallest category, Left to Themselves, represents 4 percent of beneficiaries and includes 156,936 individuals living alone in rural and peri-urban areas. This group faces both material hardship and social isolation. The agency stresses the need for targeted interventions such as vocational training, economic integration programs, and personalized social assistance. The national distribution of all five profiles shows that each category exists across all regions, confirming that vulnerability is widespread and not confined to specific territories.