By Sarab Younes
RABAT, Morocco
Moroccan Minister for Solidarity, Women, Family and Social Development Bassima Hakkaoui believes that women are the first victims of the instability currently being witnessed by Arab countries.
In an interview with Anadolu Agency, she said that "the status of women in Morocco is better compared to a large number of Arab and Islamic countries because of our stability."
How do you see the status of women in Morocco compared to other Arab countries?
Compared to many Arab and Islamic countries, the status of women in Morocco is better due to the stability of the country.
In the countries experiencing civil wars, coups and revolutions, women are the victims of multiple assaults, like rape and continuous violence.
Moroccan women did not experience such destabilizing circumstances in their national stability.
Today, they represent an exception in that they are leading their own progress, encouraged by government initiatives and King Mohammed VI.
I believe that stability is the key to everything in Morocco.
Are Arab women paying the price for the instability in their countries?
Some Arab countries have not experienced democracy and moved from the dictatorship of former regimes to new colorless regimes which are also dictatorships, led by people come from military backgrounds, or descend into chaos.
In cases of instability and chaos, women and children are the first victims.
We have seen cases of rape in the most important countries in the Middle East and the displacement of entire families from Syria and Libya and a number of other countries, because they were no longer able to live in an atmosphere of terrorism.
In the light of this gloomy situation, how can women’s situation improve in the Arab world?
Laws are important when there is democracy, when institutions are working, and when the public have their say through parliamentary institutions, which are real representatives of the people.
Morocco’s institutions ensure stability and women’s advancement.
Is the situation of Moroccan women okay? Especially that some associations see it as difficult?
We must talk about the general context of the country from the legal side and what has been achieved after the period of 2011 constitution.
Since the advent of an elected government with new powers (led by the Justice and Development Party), the harmony, solidarity, and close relationship and cooperation between the government and royal institutions, as well as the activity of civil society and the citizenry, are all factors that indicate citizens are comfortable.
Women have benefited from the outcome of years of reforms.
In 2013, Morocco launched a government plan to achieve equality between men and women called "Ikram."
Other achievements also include the setting up of the Advisory Council for the Family and Childhood, the National Observatory for the Prevention of Violence against Women and the National Observatory for Improving the Image of Women in the Media.
Do these reforms reflect positively on the reality of Moroccan women?
Moroccan society has been shifting for a long time, starting with the education of women, the reduction of the number of girls dropping out of their studies and the adoption of the right of education, which decreased the level of illiteracy dramatically.
Organizations such as Dar al-Taliba, which helps girls in rural areas to continue their education, have also been set up alongside a range of other programs, such as the One Million School Bags program that aims to distribute one million school bags every year and providing financial assistance for widows and divorcees in order to help their children continue their education.
All of these mechanisms and organizations contributed to allowing women to access all of their rights.
In the health sector, mortality rates among infants and mothers have decreased.
In addition to these reforms, we will present a bill to combat violence against women, which we hope the government council will approve to create a positive atmosphere for Moroccan women.
