One day for Women, March 8th

Once a year, a day is dedicated to women all over the world. March 8^th is the day where women are given a space to introduce themselves as humans, as citizens, and as individuals who have rights as well as duties, who have needs and desires and who have dreams and expectations. Only one day to praise and recognize their substantial and essential role in society, and their contributions in arts, literature, politics, economy and other domains. One day to look closer at their situations all around the world and to try to find solutions to the problems from which they suffer. In the light of the International Women’s Day, where are we, the Arab World, Morocco in particular, in the efforts to end violence, child brides, rape, sexual harassment in streets and schools, gender inequality and discrimination against women like Amina, Malala Yousufzai, Nirbhaya and other thousands of women around the world who are discriminated, raped, beaten, repressed and God knows what else?

Doubtlessly women are omnipresent in the everyday life of the Arab world. Let’s take the example of TV channels, there is not an advertisement that does not promote the highly glorious status of women in such or such society, a similar status all over the region if not a copy and paste one. One cannot watch TV without seeing women cooking, women washing, women ironing, women shopping, women taking care of children, women waiting on; one picture of women, the traditional role which society has molded for women and expect them to fit in. There are other molds such teaching mold, nursing mold, but never a governmental mold, a party leader mold or any mold of power and authority. Are women irresponsible? Does society fear women? Are men fearful that women would overpass their capacities and achievements?

To be frank, Morocco has achieved many noticeable improvements in terms of women freedoms and rights. Unlike the Saudi Arabia, Moroccan women not only drive cars but also drive tramways as the case of Rabat female tramway driver; drive trains as the case of the first Moroccan woman in Africa; drive taxis, motorcycles as the case of Marrakesh women, or even participate in rallies such as the women of Aicha des Gazelles all female participants . Besides, women can enter the army and police and may have decent ranks such as an officer, an inspector, a detective, or a captain. Moroccan women participate in politics and have an only one representative in the government at force. Moreover, the amendment to the Article 475 of the Moroccan Criminal Law “entitling the rapist to marry his victim” has in fact boosted somehow the development of women rights, but still there is more to be done.

“You had your day women, the remaining 364 days are ours” said jealous men on the day after the IWD. What is unbelievable is that in a man’s world , women are to be blamed for the problems that society faces. Women are the reason behind road accidents, behind prostitution, behind adultery, behind addiction, and behind suicide. Are not women behind global warming and climate changes, behind the 2008 fiscal crisis, behind political disputes, and injustice, behind nuclear weapons and drones and behind the killing of innocent people in Palestine, Iraq, Syria, Egypt and others? Men, be rational!

If only men remember that their mothers are women, that their sisters are women, that their girlfriends or wives are women and that they might father a woman, then they will respect or at least learn to respect women and instead of raping, harassing or maltreating them, they would protect them. If only they keep in minds that as they harass a woman, other men will harass their own mother, wife or daughter. If only they tried to put themselves in women shoes, and face what women face because of their ill behaviors, would they like it?

I am not a feminist, I don’t ask for gender equality, maybe some equality in some aspects such as employment, intellectuality and the alike. Because one hundred gender equality means that there would not be gentleman-ness, there wouldn’t be a man who would let his seat to a woman, help her with the heavy bags, or say the famous “ladies first”!