A first version of the project was submitted to Mohammed VI, who must soon deliver his decisions. Feminists remain hopeful, with progress expected on equality in couples, family guardianship and inheritance.
It’s up to the royal cabinet to decide. When the project to reform the family code (or Moudawana) has the imprimatur of the King of Morocco Mohammed VI, its adoption in Parliament will only be a formality. “Nothing filters through, we hope for a profound change which would call into question the current law, based on a patriarchal system, but the consultative body responsible for making its copy worked with the greatest discretion”, stamps Aïcha Zaïmi Sakhri, president of the Association for the promotion of the culture of equality. Last December, she launched the first feminism conference to contribute to the debate. Correcting “imperfections” The Moroccan family code has already undergone a major overhaul in 2004. This established the joint responsibility of both spouses, the right for the woman to request divorce, the raising of the age of marriage to 18 years… And in 2011, the new Constitution included article 19 establishing full equality between women and men. But this great principle was subsequently little reflected in the various legal codes. Hence the royal request to “remove obstacles” and correct certain “imperfections”. Last September, a commission, made up of members of the government and the highest levels of the judiciary, was tasked with formulating proposals.
