Between the 25 November 2016, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (VaW), and 10 December, Human Rights Day, the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is a time to encourage action to end violence against women and girls around the world. In addition to the campaign #STOPViolenceAgainstWomen, EuroMed Rights will be publishing during those 16 Days, a set of factsheets on VAW.
This week, Morocco, one of the five target countries of the campaign, is at the forefront.
Morocco does not provide full protection to women against the various types of violence of which they can be victims. Although the Constitution prohibits discrimination and «treatment which is cruel, inhumane, degrading, or undermines their dignity», the penal code, whose reform is underway, does not guarantee the effective protection of women against violence and discrimination.
Rape is considered a crime against morality and not against the person. Marital rape, sexual harassment in public places, and psychological violence are not yet offences under the penal code.
Although Morocco is signatory to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the country only recognises its obligation to eliminate discrimination against women as long as this does not contradict Sharia Law.
Counselling services and shelters for women and girls victim of violence are generally set up by civil society organisations but they lack resources, and as a result, they are not numerous. This situation is even worse in rural areas…
Learn more in our report about violence against women in Morocco (French and Arabic version only, an English version will follow).