Violence against women campaign launched in Morocco
2006-11-28
The 4th national campaign on violence against women was launched in Morocco on Monday. The aim is to raise awareness of the damaging effects of violence on families.
By Sarah Touahri for Magharebia in Rabat -- 28/11/06
 [File] Women can turn to the help centre to seek legal and psychological help. |
The Moroccan state secretariat for the family, children and handicapped people, working with the UN Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) marked this year's World Day Against Violence Towards Women by organising the 4th awareness-raising campaign. Moroccan Prime Minister Driss Jettou launched the campaign at a meeting on Monday (November 27th).
The campaign will be based on audiovisual media and will target conjugal violence and sexual harassment. Television and radio clips were launched, as well as CDs and first-hand accounts from victims. A 13 minute documentary will feature the services they offer and will include the free telephone number. Rural regions will also be reached with campaign buses. UNFPA and the Canadian International Development Agency have also set up a range of communications media -- advertisements, conferences, and posters in urban areas.
A report will be drawn up at the end of the campaign to evaluate its impact on the frequency of violence. According to the communications department of the state secretariat for the family, children and handicapped people, the figures, which are already available, will be checked and circulated.
The objectives of the campaign are to protect women against all forms of violence, and ensure help and justice. According to Naïma Benyahya, from the women's division, the campaign will respond to several imperatives, on the international and national scenes, as part of the secretariat's strategy to combat gender-based violence.
According to Benyahya, a great effort has been made in recent years to combat violence against women. Recently, Morocco has set up a national observatory to guide, co-ordinate, monitor, evaluate and strengthen national policies.
The launch of a toll- free telephone hotline several months ago has made contact between the public ministry and victims of violence much easier. "It offers and opportunity to many women, especially those who are underprivileged, to express themselves and to benefit from counselling and psychological support," explains Fatima Maghnaoui, a member of the executive office of the union for women's action, and director of the Annajda centre.
The hotline, in addition to referring women to the relevant services (police, hospitals, help centres), helps find gaps in the law and to put together statistics lacking in Morocco.
Saida Drissi, an officer at the Nejma centre, which is run by the Moroccan women's democratic association, stresses that the lack of statistics is because many women keep quiet about the violence they suffer. "It's time to change this state of affairs. Communication campaigns are an effective way of changing mindsets."
Several steps have been taken by the justice ministry -- communications departments within each ministry with help centres, training for these centres on legal procedures and knowledge, training for public magistrates in handling cases connected with violence towards women, and legal aid for the underprivileged.
Email to a friend
Print version
ايت وكريم احماد بن الحسين Posted 2006-11-28
Great patriotic greeting for all the human rights activists for the staunch efforts they are exerting to guide women, victims of patriarchal violence in the 21sth century. The age of ignorance... Violence against Arab women is indeed harsher than that against western women who, as everyone knows, endure the worst forms of illiteracy and ignorance at the religious and cultural levels. The Arabic man lives outside the present time; in addition, Muslim charlatans are spreading out. In today's 21ths century, we have men who consider their beards and large biceps a sign of firm manhood while in fact they can only be described according to the Moroccan proverb "Bodies like buffalos and minds like mosquitoes". violence against Arab women will not go away until we succeed in making these armies of men as well as women understand the true meaning of human life and be worthy of belonging to the human race though my purpose and hope is nothing close to this. I instead wish that firm laws are issued against all forms and source of violence in order for us to feel one day that we are human beings. I also hope that these alien creatures who define manhood in beards and strong muscles disappear in the true sense of the word and be replaced by enlightened, educated men with a solid language to convince with irrefutable proof and convert Arabic cafes to discussion forums instead of using them as a space for moral turpitude. A persecuted Amazigh
abdelouafi sajid Posted 2006-12-21
Please insert some addresses of listening centre in different Moroccan cities.
اسامة بن الخيضر Posted 2007-03-08
I thank the association because it contributes to the progress of Morocco.
mr khaldi Posted 2007-05-14
What you are doing is really extraordinary.
بديعة Posted 2007-11-13
Please insert the name of a help centre in Rabat and the phone number so that I can call.
majourita Posted 2007-12-14
Thank you, I wish you success.
عبد الاله Posted 2008-04-07
Peace and mercy of God be upon you. Peace be upon our beloved master Mohamed. I am happy and honoured to write you for the assistance you offer. The topic is the following, my aunt is continuously subject to violence, she went to courts, but they didn’t grant her justice. I suggested to her the idea of associations and I hope that she will find justice. Please if you have the phone number send it. Thank you.
ايت وكريم احماد بن الحسين Posted 2008-05-04
A greeting of human rights, I ask your honour to provide me with the address of the ‘Counseling centre for women victims of violence’ in Agadir or in Taroudant because there are many women victims of domestic violence who found no one to assist them legally and give them counseling concerning domestic violence or other issues. There are many women who suffer from divorce by absentia and you know that it deprives women of her rights. When she asks for divorce because of the absence of her husband, the application remains in the court system for one year, sometimes more. Therefore the woman is neither divorced nor married. Moreover, she is deprived of her rights she cannot exert on a man who has no address. Sincerely yours.
فاضمة Posted 2008-08-04
Peace and mercy of God be upon you. I suffered a beating from my neighbour because I was defending my son. I ask your honour to give me the address of the centre of violence against women in Agadir. thank you very much.
Victime Posted 2008-10-26
What do you have to say about a woman who lives in isolation in her own house, who has become a servant to the second wife, who is mistreated, abused and imprisoned like a slave by her own husband (none other than my father) and who wants the latter to leave the house and ask her for a divorce so that he has no rights to the home. This is my mother I am speaking of! I do not know how to help her or how to rescue her. Tell me how I can help her. I suffer so!
ام اسلام Posted 2009-05-05
I want you to provide me the address of an assistance centre in Casablanca. Thank you.
amatollah Posted 2009-05-18
I left my job and married a man who has children. I relinquished all my requirements given that I was sacrificing for them on the basis that one day I will enjoy all my rights. Twelve years have elapsed of my life. Praise be to God I had two children. However, I haven’t yet enjoyed my life. My husband prevented me from working. But when I insist and work, he takes what I earn. He doesn’t give me money for my needs. Whenever I ask him for something including clothes, jewellery, make-up, going out or travel he refuses. I have no income. He even prevents me from medical care. I have never heard any nice word from him or thanks for the sacrifices I have made and still make. Now I am tired because my hopes in happy life have faded away. Now I have begun to say I want to live my life as a wife not as a maid without wage. But his reply was that he began to beat me and insult me with shameful words. But the worst thing is that he insists on doing so in front of my children. He says, give up your children and ask for divorce. What can I do? By the way I have no one except God. Please save me because I am not that kind who deserves to be beaten or insulted. I am a respectable woman with the testimony of everyone who knows me.
Anonymous Posted 25 days ago
All women in Morocco should adopt the same opinion, unite hands, support themselves by themselves and claim their rights through associations or protests in order to change conditions. They must be one hand in order to achieve their claims. Thank you.
We welcome your comments on Magharebia's articles.
It is our hope that you will use this forum to interact with other readers across the Maghreb. In order to keep this experience interesting, we ask you to follow the rules outlined in the comments policy. By submitting comments, you are consenting to these rules. While Magharebia.com encourages discussion on all subjects, including sensitive ones, the comments posted are solely the views of those submitting them. Magharebia.com does not necessarily endorse or agree with the ideas, views, or opinions voiced in these comments. This is a moderated forum. Comments deemed abusive, offensive, or those containing profanity may not be published.
Magharebia's Comments Policy