Compared to other African and Middle Eastern countries, Moroccan women appear to have more freedom in how they dress and present themselves publicly than I initially thought. Before arriving, I expected to only be able to see a sliver of their eyes, dressing more conservatively in public settings. Instead, I noticed a wide range of clothing styles. Most women wear hijabs and long traditional clothing, but I have noticed some Western styles.
One of the most eye opening moments for me in class was when our speaker explained how her grandmother had left the house fewer than ten times in 30+ years during her marriage. My vain American mind can’t comprehend that. It forced me to realize how opportunities and expectations for women can change so quickly across generations, making me step back and realize how the U.S. often takes our independence for granted. Hearing that story made the cultural differences feel real and personal rather than just statistics or a slideshow presented in a classroom.
The change of the Moroccan Family Code in 2004 marked a major shift in women’s rights within Morocco. It gave women the right to divorce, claim child custody, and the right to self-guardianship. The reforms also raised the legal marriage age from 15 to 18 and made sexual harassment punishable by law. Overall, these are extremely beneficial changes that should have been done a long time ago, but it shows how Morocco cares about their people and are trying to change for the better while still respecting Islamic traditions.
What stands out to me is how Morocco balances their cultural identity and modernization at the same time. Religion still clearly plays a huge role in everyone’s daily life, politics, and family structure, but there is also visible movement towards greater equality and opportunity for women more than ever before. Younger generations also seem very career focused than older generations. The statistic of how nearly 40% of middle-aged women are illiterate is pretty alarming. So it was comforting to hear how my 98% of women my age and on are in school. All throughout Rabat and Morocco in general you can see both worlds existing together (obviously because they live in the same cities and houses) but does not seem over Westernized or traditional. Morocco really has nailed the middle ground which seems like the place they want to be in (0 Civil Wars). The balance has made this experience much more interesting and complex than I had originally expected, and a nice first-taste into classical African/Middle Eastern cultures.