Bassima al-Hakkawi Casablanca – Raja Battaoui Representatives of female rights organisations surprised all attendees at the regional conference on the Prevention and Combat of Violence against Women in Rabat by organising a silent protest where they carried heated banners describing the shameful situation of Moroccan woman.
The protest was carried out while the Minister of Solidarity for Women, Family and Social Development, Bassima al-Hakkawi, spoke at the event. Other notable attendees included the Prime Minister, Abdelilah Benkirane, and the European Union Ambassador.
Hakkawi implored the protesting women to get back to their seats saying that “for your knowledge, I am working incessantly on all the issues you raised now through your banners. Your message has been passed, and we are busily working on issuing laws that protect women.\"
However, Hakkawi’s words were met with condemnation by the organisation representatives who remained in protest until Hakkawi finished, clearly embarrassing the minister whose anger was apparent.
In his opening address at the regional meeting, the Prime Minister said that Morocco affirms its deep belief that violence against women is a shameful phenomenon, reflecting dangerous perversion in the behaviour of its perpetrators, and that it is one of the most obvious type of discrimination that women still suffer. This fact, Benkirane clarified, obliges all officials to work towards preventive measures to limit these acts and to raise their basic rights in all fields.
He emphasised his point by referencing a recent national study on violence against women, which revealed that almost six million women are victims of this abuse. This “alarm bell,” he asserted, pointed out the need for a review of criminal laws and procedures in line with the spirit of the constitution, in addition to developing centres to provide counselling and shelter for the victims of violent abuse.
Benkirane also added that there have already been reforms in this field, resulting in major steps to close a page in the history of human rights violations within the country.
He then expanded on the role of Islam in preserving the rights of women and praised the efforts of existent counselling and legal guidance centres for women. However, he also stressed the importance of the media and the national press in spreading awareness about the issues and its knock-on effects, for both society and the family unit.
Bassima Hakkawi, meanwhile, admitted that despite the positive momentum and regional achievements thus far to counter the problem, violence against women continues to be widespread through varied guises. She pointed out the fact that violence is concentrated in those aged between 18 and 45 and also mentioned that domestic violence between married couples represented over 50% of all cases.