CAES Morocco: Leading Across Differences

  While here in Morocco, I've noticed many places are inaccessible to those with physical disabilities. Just the other day, entering the Medina in Fes required navigating steep, narrow staircases. Inside, the crowded aisles made it nearly impossible for someone in a wheelchair to move around. This isn't just an inconvenience—it can be life-altering. Many artisans in the Medina are older and have spent years honing their crafts. If they were to become physically disabled, accessing their workspace could become impossible, threatening their livelihoods. According to the High Commission for Planning (HCP), 727,833 people in Morocco live with a disability, making up 5.5% of the population (United Nations Development Programme, 2023). Despite legal frameworks supporting disability rights, practical barriers persist. A 2021 survey by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) found that employers often perceive hiring persons with disabilities as chall...

  In the states, it is not uncommon for me to see small symbols of queer identities throughout my daily life. This could be anything, from flags to pins to the rainbow crosswalks in downtown Athens. However, since being here in Morocco, I have not seen any of these symbols and none of our tours have mentioned queer people. This is very different from what I’m used to; I grew up in the New York public school system, so being gay was very accepted and I had plenty of friends that identified as something other than straight. I also have made friends since starting at UGA that are very open about their sexual identities. This is definitely not the norm in Morocco. Same sex relations between consenting adults is criminalized in Morocco and is punishable with jail time and fines (Corbisiero & Monaco, 2017). Hopefully we start to see progress in this area so that one day queer Moroccans can display their pride in the way they want.  Reference Corbisiero, F., & Monaco, S....