The Reforms Have Yet to Set Root in People's Minds

In Morocco, a new family law, the Moudwana, was introduced in mid-January that is to improve the societal status of women. The reforms are, however, still subject of heated debate. Nicola Fell reports from Marrakech.

Here in Morocco, as the sun rises in Marrakech's grand square, the day is beginning, people are being called to the mosque and the market is coming to life with the snake charmers. There are with many veiled women on the streets and the cafes are filling up with men – only men.

When I come into a cafe, I am the only woman in the room. "It's a kind of tradition," a man in a café tells me. "The only contact men are to have with women is in the street – there are no women at the café. You see, the men still look on women as though they are inferior. We have to change the mentality of men."

There can be no progress without justice

This idea of change is very much on Moroccan's minds at the moment. A big change has only just been initiated at the beginning of the year and it started with the King opening Parliament in mid-January with this question:

"How can society achieve progress, while women, who represent half the nation, see their rights violated and suffer as a result of injustice, violence and marginalisation?"

The young recently married King has dramatically changed the Moudawana – the family law. Polygamy is now practically impossible, women are free to marry without family guidance and women can initiate divorce without loosing their rights.

"In addition to taking significant decisions and initiatives to ensure women enjoy a better future, I do not hesitate to take steps to prevent our society from being split over this issue," promised the monarch.

But society has been split over this issue. There have been two big marches: one in Casablanca protesting against the change to the Moudawana and one in Rabat supporting the change. Halima El Ghrari, of ESPOD, a women's association, was there.

"The demonstration in Rabat was very excited because we felt that we finally won one of our battles," says El Ghrari. "We were congratulating each other, celebrating. This is very important day for Moroccan women."

But there was also the march in Casablanca by those vehemently opposed to giving up a patriarchal way of life. With respectability in mind, the men marched separately from the women. Nouza Skalli, Member of Parliament (Social Alliance Party) and women's activist was appalled by what she saw.

"It was a demonstration of extremists," says Nouza Skalli. "They tapped doors of the people and told them 'Islam is in danger, they want to change the Islam and you should come and support Islam', so people believed them and they come to support Islam."

Mohammed El Mostafa is also a member of parliament. He represents the PJD, a radical Islamic party. Mohammed was also one of the main organisers of the demonstration against the change to the Moudawana.

"We had, on that march, more than 50 percent women, and they said we do not want to be driven by rules that are not compatible with the principles of Islam," says El Mostafa. "Here, for example, if a woman leaves her husband, she has to return to her parents. But if the family had no say in that act of marriage, why should they take on any responsibility for that failed marriage?"

Nouza Skalli, the reformist, is opposed to this way of thinking. She argues that the freedom to marry without a brother's or father's permission is a major and vital step in improving the situation of women in society.

"Up until now, women had to agree about her marriage but she couldn't marry herself," explains Skall. "Now she can. The old Moudawana said that the husband has to pay everything for the family and, in return, the woman must be obedient to her husband. Now women are no longer forced to be obedient."

"Polygamy is not a great solution, but it works"

Rahmid El Mostafa, like Mohammed El Mostafa member of the Islamist PJD party, is not only concerned about this aspect of the liberation of women. He is also concerned about the loss of another age-old tradition – polygamy.

"The women's associations find polygamy a problem, but it's not a problem," asserts El Mostafa. "When someone marries a second or third time it's to regulate a problem. I have to admit, it is not a great solution, but often the only one. That's to say, for example, if a wife is sick, what should her husband he do?

He has to find another woman outside of that marriage, but that's against the principles of Islam. Another possibility would be to divorce his old wife, well, that's also not allowed in Islam. Therefore, the best solution is polygamy."

Despite strong opposition by people like Rahmid or Mohammed El Mostafa, the battle has –for the time being – been won the reformers, and these women's associations that have so annoyed Rahmid's party, have become powerful lobbyists and a force for change in Morocco society.

Social projects for the support of women

John is a social worker and he is taking me to SOS village, a women's co-operative, 30km from Marrakech. Here they make traditional handcrafts in the workshop and there is a crèche. The project's goal is to help women make some money independently.

One woman I met there, who chose not to give her name, told me how her divorce had begun under the old laws of the Moudawana.

"I've come here because I am in the middle of a divorce and I want to know my rights," she tells me. "I am certain to be divorced under the old Moudawana. My husband demanded the divorce now, hurriedly– he's very intelligent and he doesn't want to be divorced under the new Moudawana. The new Moudawana demands that accommodation is provided for the children after the divorce and that's the difference."

"A divorced woman is generally viewed as somewhat despicable, by society and by the parents," the woman explains further. "The traditions of Moroccan women – one can't change those from one day to the other – the same holds true for the new Moudawana. Moroccan women definitely know there's a change coming, but they also need to understand what it is about. Until now I didn't really understand all the changes and how they affect my life."

The King seems well aware of this problem, given that the illiteracy rate of women is around 70 percent. King Mohammad demanded a wide-scale media awareness campaign.

"If you have a sister or mother, you say 'congratulations'"

I went to a Hammam, a public bath, in this case open only to women, to see if they were aware of the changes and what they were about.

The Hammam is a place where people traditionally meet. So the women spend two or three or even four hours in their bath, discussing the various subjects of their lives.

Zara works in the Hammam. She can't read or write, but she has heard of the change.

"The King has done well," she thinks. "He has given us new rights, that is a new situation for women that is much better. The old Moudawana was not good because there was a lot of injustice for women, especially concerning the rights of her children."

So the change is reaching the women, but what about the men? In the souk, the market, I asked them what they thought.

"For the old women the change of the Moudawana doesn't affect them at all because they live with their old men," one man tells me. "For the younger girls the change of the Moudawana is very important because it means that they will have a better future."

"If you have a sister or mother, you say 'congratulations'," another man says.

The reforms will soon arrive in the minds of the people

These changes to women's rights have just been passed by Parliament, but, as Nouzha Skalli points out, changing the way people think will be a direct result.

"This new law is going to make a real change in mentality. I don't think it will take long time. We must look again at a large number of issues, like the contents of school books. There are a lot of images that portray women as being inferior to men."

"If we introduce a lot of changes in school books and in the media for instance, I think it can take less than 10 years. When you fight for something, it takes a long time, but the day will eventually come when your efforts come to its fruition."