Moroccan women celebrate International Women's Day

07/03/2008

As Moroccan women's rights advocates prepare to celebrate International Women's Day on March 8th, one activist group says that the anti-terrorism issue is a women's issue as well. It has delayed releasing its annual political agenda to instead battle "the spiteful ideas" which threaten Morocco.

By Imane Belhaj for Magharebia in Casablanca – 07/03/08

[Getty Images] Activist Fatima Akouri told Magharebia that on International Women's Day on March 8th, "It's not enough for us to receive roses at our places of work or at home... Rather, we need a moment to pause and evaluate the gains and contemplate the challenges."

On the eve of International Women's Day on Saturday (March 8th), Moroccan women say that despite the appointment of seven female ministers to the current government, the road to reaching their objectives is still long. To raise awareness of their goals and hold Moroccan officials accountable for the delay in meeting many of their demands, women's rights organisations plan to mark the day with symposiums, roundtables and parties.

"We have already taken important steps, such as the Family Code, which is deemed a real victory for the seven women in government. This is in addition to a number of reforms in laws that put an end to injustice committed against women," said Fatima Akouri. The activist added, however, that "there are still many women who suffer from aspects of discrimination, and violence against women is still massive."

To Akouri, International Women's Day provides an opportunity to assess the overall progress of women's rights in Morocco. "It's not enough for us to receive roses at our places of work or at home. It's not enough for us to have those slogans and mottos calling for women's rights, defending them and recognising their roles in the society. Rather, we need a moment to pause and evaluate the gains and to contemplate the challenges," she told Magharebia.

But one day is not enough for the Moroccan Women's Democratic Association (MWDA), which argues that its members should be struggling all year long in order to realise equality and defend women's economic, social and political rights. They are marking International Women's Day throughout the entire month of March, during which they plan to issue a petition related to the amendment of the social charter.

Although the Democratic League for Women's Rights (LDDF) agrees on the need for social reform, it is choosing to focus on an even more pressing matter this year. Based on their conviction that countering terrorism is a women's issue as well, members will celebrate the Day under the banner "'No' to Extremism and Terrorism … 'Yes' to Equality and Citizenship".

LDDF executive board member Bouchra Abdou explained, "We've decided to postpone the publication of our annual regular report and have also delayed the demands and recommendations which we would usually make in this occasion. Instead, we opted to put an alternative programme that highlights the extent of our involvement in the anti-terrorism campaign and our confrontation of the spiteful ideas that are damaging to our society."

The League urges citizens to participate in maintaining security and calls on all democratic forces, women rights' organisations and Moroccan social groups to form a broad coalition against maliciousness and hatred.

Commenting on the event, political activist and unionist Nadjia Malek also expressed her hope that a true women's movement would be formed for the benefit of women and Moroccans a whole.

Still, building support from men for women's rights may take time. According to student Saida Rouchdi, International Women's Day usually turns into an object of ridicule for men. "Each time we mark the March 8th celebration, we are subjected to a flow of sarcasm, such as, 'The day will pass fast. What will you do tomorrow, March 9th?'"

She added, "They consider that we now enjoy full freedom and openness, and that we have trodden upon the customs and traditions. So, what else do we want?"