Morocco's king boosts women's rights in marriage

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AP , RABAT, MOROCCO
Sunday, Oct 12, 2003,Page 6

In a historic effort to unify and modernize his country, Morocco's King Mohammed VI announced on Friday a landmark reform to grant vast new rights to women on matters such as divorce, marriage and rights within the family.

Acting in his role as "Commander of Beliefs," the 40-year-old monarch said the move was designed to help heal a divide in society forming between women's groups and a powerful Islamic movement.

"We have not hesitated to intervene to spare our society from the risks of splitting apart over this question," the king said in an address to parliament.

The king said the proposal was designed to "lift the iniquity weighing on women, protect children's rights and preserve the dignity of mankind."

"These reforms must not be seen as a victory of one camp over another but rather as advances for the benefit of all Moroccans," he said.

The reform would "place families under the joint responsibility of both spouses" -- not just men, the king said.

He also proposed raising the minimum marriage age from 15 to to 18and simplify divorce procedures for the benefit of women.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/worl.../12/2003071389

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Morocco women win rights

Last Updated: Saturday, 11 October, 2003, 13:59 GMT 14:59 UK

The Moroccan King, Mohammed VI, has announced a landmark reform to the law over women's position in the family.

The changes to the personal status code would give women greater rights on matters covering marriage and divorce.

The King said the measure, which is expected to be approved by parliament soon, was designed to end "the iniquity weighing on women".

But he has had to tread a fine line in what is a very controversial subject.

'Vulnerable position

Morocco's family law - or moudouana - has been one of the most hotly debated and divisive issues in the country in recent years.

The law, based on Islamic Sharia, has left women in a vulnerable position within the family.

Husbands have been able to divorce their wives easily, and turn them out of the home, while it has been very difficult for women to get out of abusive relationships.

Now part of that law is going to change.

Women will get property rights within marriage, and both spouses will have equal authority in the family.

Divorce will be made easier for women, and the age of marriage for girls will be raised from 15 to 18.

Polygamy will not be outlawed but will be made more difficult - a man will need to get consent from his existing wife before marrying another.

Protest rally

Women's groups have been campaigning for changes to the moudouana for years.

But when the government attempted to reform the law three years ago, Islamist leaders organised a massive protest rally in Casablanca, attended by hundreds of thousands of demonstrators.

The government got cold feet, and abandoned the reforms.

That was when the King stepped in, setting up a Royal Commission, made up of both Islamic scholars and women's representatives.

It was meant to report last year, but the controversial and sensitive nature of the subject has meant they have had difficulty reaching agreement.

Announcing the changes to parliament, the King said he wanted to prevent society from splitting apart over the issue.

He will be hoping that his religious authority in Morocco - he is Commander of the Faithful - will convince the country's more conservative Muslims that the changes are in keeping with the faith.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/3183576.stm

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No progress possible if women' rights are violated, says king

Morocco, Politics, 10/11/2003

Morocco's King Mohammed VI of Morocco has defended the right to equality between Moroccan men and women, and urged for a reform of the family law and the woman status "Mudawana."

"How can society achieve progress while women, who represent half the nation, see their rights violated and suffer as a result of injustice, violence and marginalisation, notwithstanding the dignity and justice granted them by our glorious religion?" asked the king who was addressing members of parliament at the opening Friday of the legislative year.

The monarch who had posed this very question in his speech on August 20, 1999 marking "the Revolution of the King and the People" day said that "in addition to taking significant decisions and initiatives to ensure that women enjoy a better and more equitable status, I did not hesitate to take steps to prevent the Moroccan society from being split over this issue." To this end, he went on, I set up a multi-disciplinary advisory committee to propose an in-depth review of the Family Law.

The Moroccan king took this opportunity to commend the efforts exerted by the chairman and all the members of the committee. "Views on certain issues may have differed at times, but in the case of Ulemas (religious scholars), I consider such differences rather as a blessing," he explained. "These reforms, the most important of which I have mentioned, should not be perceived as an indication of one side's victory over the other, but rather as gains for all Moroccans," he insisted. King Mohammed VI, in his capacity of "Amir Al-Muminin" (Commander of the Faithful), said: "I cannot make licit what God has forbidden, nor forbid what He has made lawful." "It is necessary to be mindful of the tolerant aims of Islam, which advocate human dignity, equality and harmonious relations, and also to rely on the cohesiveness of the Malikite rite and on ijtihad, thanks to which Islam is a suitable religion for all times and places," the king said, adding that "the aim is to draw up a modern Family Law which is consistent with the spirit of our glorious religion."

He also insisted that "the Family Law should not be considered as a legislation devised for women only, but rather as a code for the family: father, mother and children. The proposed legislation is meant to free women from the injustices they endure besides protecting children's rights and safeguarding men's dignity. "Would anyone of you want to see his wife and children thrown out of their home and into the street, or his daughter or sister treated brutally?" asked the sovereign, underlining that "as the King of all Moroccans, I do not make legislation for a given segment of the population or a specific party. Rather, I seek to reflect the general will of the Nation, which I consider to be my extended family."

King Mohammed VI also voiced resolve to "preserve the rights of my faithful subjects of Jewish faith," saying "I have seen to it that the new Family Law contains a provision which reaffirms that they shall continue to be governed by the Hebraic Moroccan Family Law."

He noted that although the 1957 Family Law was drawn up before the Parliament was established, and was subsequently amended by Dahirs (Royal Decrees) in 1993, during a constitutional transition period, "I have made a decision for the proposed Family Law to be submitted to Parliament, for the first time, in view of its implications with respect to civil law. As for the provisions of religious nature, they fall within the competence of Amir Al-Muminin (Commander of the Faithful)," said the monarch who expects from the members of parliament "to rise to this historic occasion and be worthy of the responsibilities assigned to you, not only by respecting the sacred nature of the proposed texts, which were prepared with due account being taken of the aims of our tolerant religion, but also when you adopt new legislation."

"These provisions, he said, should not be regarded as flawless, nor should they be perceived from a fanatic angle. Instead, you should address them with realism and clear-sightedness, keeping in mind that this is an Ijtihad (jurisprudence) effort which is suitable for Morocco at this point in time in its endeavors to achieve the development objective it is pursuing in a wise, gradual and determined manner." As King Mohammed VI finally called for "a large-scale media campaign to sensitize all segments of the population to the importance of this reform. Islamic law experts, intellectuals and political representatives should be involved," he concluded.

http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Dail...003101123.html

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Family law change to end polygamy in Morocco

By Giles Tremlett
London
October 14, 2003

Polygamy should all but disappear in Morocco after the country's King Mohammed VI announced changes to strict laws on family and women's rights.

The king, using his official position as the country's main religious authority, said at the weekend that changes to the mudawana code on family life would be introduced that, while not banning polygamy altogether, would make it tougher for men who wanted to take a second wife. The king said wives would be free to prevent their husbands from taking a second spouse and legal mechanisms would make polygamy "almost impossible".

The changes have ended a four-year tussle over women's rights, with huge demonstrations by traditionalists and reformers in the north African state.

The reforms the king has announced include raising the legal age for marriage for women from 15 to 18, a simplification of the divorce procedures for women and greater protection should their husbands leave.

The king said the new laws were designed to "lift the iniquity weighing on women, protect children's rights and preserve the dignity of mankind".

Women's groups had feared that reforms, first promised when King Mohammed succeeded his father, Hassan II, in 1999, would never happen after protests from Islamic conservatives. These brought about 300,000 people onto the streets of Casablanca three years ago to protest against any change to the mudawana. Modernists seeking change could only muster 100,000 marchers the same day in Rabat.

However, the conservatives in Morocco have been placed on the defensive after suicide bomb attacks by radical Islamists killed 45 people in Casablanca in May.

- Guardian

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/20...917340424.html