Morocco's reformed Moudawana could give women hard-fought legal protections, but fierce opposition shows that challenges lay ahead, writes Yasmina Benslimane.
The earthquake of Al-Haouz, the teachers’ strike, and the amendment of the Family Code were one of the most important events experienced by Morocco during the year 2023. On Sept. 8, a devastating earthquake struck the High Atlas region (near Marrakesh), with a magnitude reaching 7 degrees on the Richter scale, causing the death of around 2,946 people and the injury of 5,674 others. This was the deadliest and most destructive natural disaster in Morocco since the quake that destroyed the city of Agadir in 1960, which claimed the lives of about 15,000 people.
In an effort to preserve a basic threshold for social and political balance, the Moroccan government passed the Family Code, or Mudawana, in 2004. Twenty years later, the matter of personal status law remains a pertinent and mobilizing issue for many.
Saturday, 19 December 2020, 5:53 am
In observance of International Migrants Day, it is
important to acknowledge the need for accessible legal aid
for migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers and the role of
local youth in creating a welcoming environment. As migrants
leave their home countries, sometimes without warning or
preparation, many are unaware of their rights in host
countries. Student-led legal clinics provide these vital
services while engaging students and other community members
and creating a basis for intercultural understanding and
support.
In late November, in partnership with the
High Atlas Foundation, the U.S.-Middle East Partnership
Initiative (MEPI), and the National Endowment for Democracy