A Lowdown on Gender-Lag in the Moroccan Society: The Road Ahead

Abstract

Women’s social and political rights have invariably been a focal point of discussion and debate in academic and political encounters. Currently, the issue of women’s rights, far from being a third-rail issue, is an extremely contested, top-agenda matter both within and across countries. Focusing on Morocco, women continue to be marginalized in many facets of society despite the efforts that have been made so far. The slow-paced involvement of women in political life remains an issue that tarnishes the kingdom’s proclaimed ambition to be a haven for gender equity. In spite of the legal reforms, namely the ‘Mudawana’ or family code, gender inequality and sexism persist in stark disregard of the internationally acknowledged rights of women. Although it is clearly stated in the Moroccan constitution that “men and women are guaranteed equal rights”, Moroccan women continue to face obstacles and societal discrimination on a daily basis. Thus, an equity-oriented mobilization needs to be undertaken so that women would distance themselves from the absolute implications of traditional societal norms cloistering them to inferior social roles. Within this vein, this paper seeks to sift what follows: (1) how constitutional laws in Morocco are thwarted by deeply-rooted societal norms and practices that underestimate women’s potential, (2) how representation of women in politics can be an authentic indicator of overall development and modernization, and (3) how Moroccan women’s participation in political life can enhance the kingdom’s global image and boost its capacity to play a larger role on the regional and international scenes. Using a content-based approach, this investigation reveals that empowering Moroccan women is a strenuous endeavor that calls for the keen involvement of different social and political actors, namely the Ivy League ones, in order to allot women their stakes as real asset-holders in sustaining multi-layered national development.