“Moroccan women take part in many fields from politics to economy, from social life to diplomacy, but this is not enough. Every conscious woman seeks her rights and struggles for them,” said Ouafae Bekkali, a lawmaker of the National Rally of Independents MPs and president of Fatima Al-Fihriyya Association in Morocco.

HENAN HARIT

Morocco- In many countries, women have discussed their roles in all fields of life such as in politics, economy, social sphere, and diplomacy. In Morocco, women feel discomfort because they think their roles in the political and social sphere are not enough to change the existing male-dominated mindset. Ouafae Bekkali, a lawmaker of the National Rally of Independents MPs and president of Fatima Al-Fihriyya Association in Morocco, thinks that the roles determined for women are important in the development of the country, advancing in the principles of equality, freedom, and democracy and in making it a stronger country. Bekkali pointed out that the women’s rights in the laws of Morocco were achieved through the women's struggle. She believes that women should participate more actively in all fields with their own free will. Bekkali told us that women should be supported more to participate in politics, economy, and social sphere in Morocco more.

“Women have achieved success in many fields”

Ouafae Bekkali underlined that women have gained an important place in the political, economic, and social sphere by struggling. “In recent years, we have witnessed that women have played an important role in the development of the country and social life. And women have achieved success in many fields. Women have begun to take office in Morocco, even in male-dominated fields. All of these have undoubtedly been achieved through the women’s struggle in every field,” said Bekkali.

“Women have gained a place in politics but not enough”

“Despite all the obstacles women have gained an important place in the political field in Morocco”, Bekkali said, adding, “I say this, of course, when I compare it with the 90s. They have an important position in all political parties. Women take their place in the parliament with their strong will. However, there are some obstacles faced by women in the political field. For instance, the quota for women is indeed a positive mechanism for Moroccan women to enter parliament, but it is not enough to reveal women's political will and power. Women enter the parliament or politics after being listed by a political party or association. This situation also forms an obstacle for women to act independently. Parties determine their candidates according to their own ideological perspectives and social policies. Consequently, female representatives, who enter the parliament, cannot take a stand and express their opinion on women's issues and social problems independently from the policies determined by their party. Therefore, they cannot play a role in changing the existing male-dominated mentality. I mean, even though, the quota for women has increased the number of women in politics, there is still a mentality ignoring women as power in the political field.”

“Women should be stronger by becoming more conscious”

Ouafae Bekkali is also the president of the Fatima Al-Fihriyya Association. The members of the association have carried out awareness-raising activities about the legal rights of women. They have hold seminars in rural areas to reach more women. Bekkali said, “The unconscious and unorganized women are their own worst enemy. For this reason, women should become conscious. Conscious women seek their rights and struggle for them. We have faced approaches considering women as weak and have no will. There are still women, who think women need men to control them.”