Gender-Based Violence in Morocco
What is gender-based violence? The majority of people do not even know what the term refers to or are not even aware that this kind of bias exists even though they exercise it on a daily basis. In fact, raising awareness about the existence of gender-based violence and its implications on our daily lives is the first step toward solving one of the most pressing human rights issues nowadays. Establishing a collective consciousness about this social anomaly means providing a more equal environment where women and young girls can grow and where human rights prevail in an inclusive and intersectional manner.
The COVID-19 pandemic created a deeper gap in gender equality as women were the hardest hit by the virus. The pandemic was more than just a public health or economic crisis, it was an intersecting crisis based on several factors like gender, economic status, race, and ethnicity. Violence against women in Morocco was already a pandemic in itself even prior to the pandemic. A report published by the High Commission for Planning (HCP) stated that economic and sexual violence has significantly skyrocketed in Morocco, from 8% to 15% and from 9% to 14% respectively between 2009 and 2019. In 2020, not less than 57% of Moroccan women reported experiencing some form of violence.
These shocking numbers lead to reflect on the reasons behind this increase in violence against women. Based on a definition provided by UN Women, gender-based violence refers to “ harmful acts directed at an individual or a group of individuals based on their gender. It is rooted in gender inequality, the abuse of power and harmful norms. The term is primarily used to underscore the fact that structural, gender-based power differentials place women and girls at risk for multiple forms of violence.”
Daily, thousands of Moroccan women face discrimination in accessing healthcare or the job market also the same goes for their political, economic, and social inclusion. The origins of this discrimination go back to the deeply rooted gender norms and the socially contracted gender roles deepened in the patriarchal system leading to inequality.
The prevailing social and cultural norms dictate how women should live in Moroccan society. To this day, tradition is still considered an educational tool for how women can enjoy their rights. As a consequence, they do not achieve their highest attainable standard of physical and mental health. This is mainly due to the widespread practices that go against the law, and because discretion is sacred within Moroccan families, few cases are reported and handled by authorities.
Not only that but other factors also play an important role in deepening the gender gap. Social class, rural and urban divide, and economic status lead to women’s inability to access education, services, and opportunities. Moreover, the lack of supportive legal frameworks leads to discriminatory access to the justice system. The legalization of certain traditions like early or forced marriage and honour killings leads to reinforcing and normalizing violence against women and girls.
One of the main issues when it comes to the snowballing effect of gender-based violence in Morocco is the lack of quantitative, qualitative, and evidence-based research and data on the different types of violence against women and girls. The scarcity of data creates an obstacle when it comes to finding solutions and creating a more supportive legal framework. Human rights activists and civil society actors are working toward raising more awareness about gender-based violence and calling for a systemic change and a more supportive legal framework. They are especially calling for an urgent need to revise the current Penal Code as it is considered outdated and discriminatory.
On a daily basis, Moroccan women and girls go through harassment, rape, illegal abortion, revenge pornography, or other forms of gender-based violence. Such practices are normalized and overlooked because of the lack of awareness. Women rarely speak because of the infamous victim-blaming mindset and the lack of a supportive legal framework in Morocco. Yet, their silence is a supportive component of the persistence of the current norms leading to the impunity of perpetrators.
Therefore, we need to speak up and amplify the voices of women and young girls going through discrimination and violence in all its forms because we are the change and the change is now.
Bibliography :
https://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/ending-violence-against-women/faqs/types-of-violence
About the author:
Wissal El Hamaoui is a Political Sciences and International Relations student at the Faculty of Gouvernance, Economics, and Social Sciences - a component of Mohammed VI Polytechnic University. She is also a participant in our #Women4Leadership program.
