Blogger 3: Sexual Orientation or Gender Roles

            When exploring gender roles in Morocco, I was intrigued by the family laws and divorce process in the country. While in the United States, approximately 40% of marriages end in divorce, that statistic only reaches around 10% in Morocco.  To understand the difference in those numbers, I researched the divorce process in Morocco, as well as the social perception of divorced women in the country.

            Because the country is deeply rooted in Islam, most Moroccans try to avoid divorce as much as possible. Historically, the husband had the sole ability to file for divorce, whereas women could only repudiate a marriage for six specific reasons as quoted from the Quran, requiring extenuating circumstances and direct proof. In 2004, the Moroccan government introduced a new family law called the Moudawana that allowed for “two new categories of divorce for women including mutual consent and irreconcilable differences” (March, 2019). After this change, there was a significant increase in divorce rates, as women finally had the ability to obtain freedom from bad marriages. All divorces in Morocco must be processed by a judge, and the couple must undergo mediation attempts by the court to salvage the marriage (Landinfo, 2017). The 2004 family law reflected a largely progressive step in the right direction for the Moroccan government. It made divorce obtainable for women, giving them a voice and the ability to stand up for themselves in a traditional setting.

            While the Mouda
wana created a more even landscape for husband and wife in the process of divorce, it is still a lengthy, expensive, and damaging process for women to initiate. Morocco’s extremely diverse geography, from extremely rural to big city, results in an inconsistent flow of information. Many women living in small villages and rural areas have no knowledge of the Moudawana and the rights granted to them (March, 2019). Additionally, divorce is still very taboo in many Moroccan communities. On our visit to the Women's Argan Cooperative, I was informed that many of the women working there were divorced, single mothers who had a difficult time finding jobs due to public perception. According to one interviewee in March’s study, “society, not the law, is the biggest reason that women stay in a bad marriage” (2019). These two examples prove that while the law is changing, many people’s mindsets are not. This makes it difficult for women in Morocco to benefit from the opportunities they are granted through the 2004 Moudawana.

Growing up in a small southern town, I have seen firsthand how deeply ingrained cultural values can shape a community's identity — and how slowly, yet meaningfully, those values can shift over time. I understand and respect that Islam and Moroccan tradition provide a strong moral framework for many families, and that the hesitation around divorce often stems from a genuine desire to preserve the family unit. However, I think that honoring tradition and extending compassion to women in difficult situations do not have to be in conflict with one another. I hope that over time, the same progressive spirit that reformed the law will find its way into everyday conversations so that the rights granted to women on paper become rights they can actually access and feel supported in exercising.

March, B. (2019). Divorce Experiences: What The 2004 Moudawana Does and Does Not Do for Women In Morocco [Review of Divorce Experiences: What The 2004 Moudawana Does and Does Not Do for Women In Morocco]. SIT Digital Collections. https://digitalcollections.sit.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4087&context=isp_collection

‌Landinfo. (2017). Morocco: Marriage and divorce – legal and cultural aspects [Review of Morocco: Marriage and divorce – legal and cultural aspects]. https://landinfo.no/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Morocco-Marriage-and-divorce-legal-and-cultural-aspects-21042017-final.pdf