Moroccan women celebrate International Women's Day
2008-03-07
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?"
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jarounette Posted 2008-03-07
I really loved this exposition. It is really a 10 out of 10.
aissa lami Posted 2008-03-08
I raise a flag of respect and esteem to Moroccan women for the sacrifices they made. I also congratulate Moroccan women for the achievements they made on the road towards the liberation of Moroccan and Arab women by civilized means. Within the context of our pure religion, your brother Issa Lamine from the South of Algeria. I want to get acquainted with a Moroccan woman.
hanae Posted 2008-03-08
I think that the 8th of March, which pays homage to some kind of society's support, is of no interest. This is because women have entered into all the same domains which were formerly trusted to men, although the liberty women demanded and received is much more free, to the point that women abuse this value of equality and have lost their femininity and have pretty much become merchandise which can be bought and sold anywhere and anytime. It is because of this that I dedicate this short message to those responsible and to women. This liberty must not be abused. Our predecessors were happy, even if they were ignorant and poor. Look how we, the new generation, suffer. So think about our situation, and about our future. What will it become?
saidma Posted 2008-03-09
There are some men who harass women even on their World Day. Begging with words the appearance of which attracts the eye, its form hurts the hands, and another one who congratulates her and begs her for a meeting even through the internet…Honouring woman is in her education, in extracting her from ignorance and illiteracy, in involving her in decisions and empowering her with means that preserve the identity, in acknowledging her as a being who has the same rights and obligations.
nadia Posted 2008-03-10
Hi, by God I thank you as a woman, I liked the topic so much. Thank you for this point of view.
عمر ايت داود Posted 2008-03-10
Woman celebrated the World Day. What have we won, going to the movie theatre for free so that we imitate the west in their traditions. Oh strange people don’t be surprised, the sun will rise from the West very soon, God’s mercy on the Amazigh man who said if the hen screams it should be slain. The hen means woman; the hen should just make eggs and raise her children; and the cock, i.e. man should scream with my respects to the woman because she is my grandmother, my mother, my wife, my sister and my aunt.
ليلى ارحولديد Posted 2008-03-13
Salam alaikoum. Men celebrate all year long, but women celebrate just one day and you envy us and prevent us from celebration. They say that we imitate the west; they affirm that they feel that they are insulted. I am a married woman and my respectable husband didn’t offer me a gift of any kind, and wouldn't on any other occasion, even if I gave him a gift for the new year.
Anonymous Posted 2008-03-14
Moroccan women are still suffering from total oppression, particularly from their husbands, even if she is of a high educational or professional level. Anyway, may God guide these men who were raised with the idea that women are talking animals, no more and no less, that women are always below men. If a woman defeats a man in argument or if her income is higher than his, he refuses to accept this and he resorts to slapping her or going out for entertainment.
Najlaà Posted 2008-03-15
Gadi Najlaà and Professor Zawia Libye participated in this event with us as our sisters of the Maghreb. For actors playing in a play in a foreign language, the challenge is doubled. On the one hand they are interpreting their role and, on the other hand, they are making the sounds of the “foreign” language their own. That is where the novelty resides for everyone, since not one of the students has yet to play in a play in French. On the whole, the sporadic difficulties connected to the pronunciation are quickly surpassed. Likewise, each interpreter has succeeded in fashioning his character, and attitude towards developing his role, while there are only few elements in *Unesco’s text* to guide us on the subject. This was the fruit of the everyone’s individual reflection and the result of this maturity boasts of undeniable consistency on stage as well as their dynamics. For our production we decided to put emphasis on visual effects in order to overcome any difficulties our spectators might have in understanding in a way that those how might get bothered by it do not have time to get seated. The sets were expanded for the same purpose. The costumes—which we hope will also contribute to the visual effects—were a large source of debate, fuelled heavily by the professors. I hope this theatrical experience, which was a first for the majority of students, will allow everyone the reassurance in and benefit of practicing oral French. Throwing yourself on stage in a foreign language is not something that is easy; this is the actor producing and delivering in the constant application of a phonetic plan. The force required in terms of pronunciation is a truly physical exercise.
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