From October 10 to October 16, the women’s rights NGO “Kif Mama Kif Baba” (like mom like dad) will launch a campaign called “Nachrat Al Moudawana”, which falls in line with the upcoming family code amendment, hoping to eradicate injustice.
The campaign, established in honor of Moroccan Women’s Day, aims to promote public awareness of the significance of reforming the family code to fully and effectively uphold the principles of equal rights between sexes and the superiority of the child’s interests.
In a press release sent to MoroccoLatestNews, the associations said “This day is of great importance because it reminds us of the fierce struggles waged by women in favor of real and effective equality between citizens.”
This campaign is based on King Mohammed VI’s road map for the Moroccan government, which demands a draft new Family Code within six months and invites civil society to actively engage in this change.
Despite the results and proposals made by the feminist movement and human rights defenders over the past 19 years, the association noted that successive administrations have not yet fully responded to the aspirations of women and girls in terms of revising the Family Code.
“If the reform of the Family Code of 2004 was emblematic, its implementation revealed numerous dysfunctions in the application of the text by magistrates but also in the letter of its provisions,” said the same organization.
Morocco has signed and ratified a variety of international treaties that uphold gender equality as a fundamental concept, as well as the best interests of the child.
It even passed the 2011 Constitution by referendum with 99% support, committing to revise its texts in order to bring them in line with the ideals of gender equality and protection of the best interests of the child.
12 years later, the update hasn’t been put in place, indicated “Kif Mama Kif Baba”.
The association stressed how critical it is to open a cultural dialogue and to raise awareness, and resolve misunderstandings in order to write a “Moudawana 2.0” that fully respects the principles of equality of rights between the sexes and superiority of the child’s interests.
The “Kif Mama Kif Baba” campaign is intended to be both a newspaper of the Moudawana to reveal its problematic dispositions to the general public and also an indictment of its inadequacies.
The association’s goal is to shed light on why it is proposing a fundamental change to the current Family Code through seven videos exposing specific cases directly related to the articles requiring adjustments.
The examples will be complemented by advice to help create a space for debate and exchange that is open to all citizens.
The association’s demands:
“Kif Mama Kif Baba” calls on all the active forces in Morocco to fully commit to this crucial project for equality, justice, and non-discrimination in order to achieve a complete overhaul of the Moudawana.
The association hopes that this reform will put an end to child marriage once and for all, and place the best interests of the child at the heart of legislation and judicial decisions.
It calls for the recognition and valuing of the role of women within the family, and assigning guardianship to mothers having custody of children.
In its press statement, the association promotes fairness in inheritance law to guarantee equal rights between the sexes and aspires that the reform recognizes the marriage of a Moroccan woman with a non-Muslim.
Other demands include permanently ending polygamy and revising divorce procedures to reflect current reality.
“Kif Mama Kif Baba” seeks a humanist reform of the Penal Code to bring it in line with the provisions of Morocco’s 2011 Constitution and international treaties, including the repeal of provisions restricting individual freedoms (particularly those penalizing abortion) and a stronger fight against child crime.
It also encourages stronger protection against violence against women, including the implementation of appropriate governmental policies to safeguard women who have been victims of abuse.