Harmful Traditional Practices On Moroccan Women An article by: Mohcin Barir.
Introduction An expert paper by the United Nations, in which the harmful traditional practices are defined as “All practices done deliberately by men on the body or the psyche of other human beings for no therapeutic purpose, but rather for cultural or socio-conventional motives and which have harmful consequences on the health and the rights of the victim” 1. Most of the harmful traditional practices affect the physical and psychological being of the female gender because the nature of the traditional practices is known to be extremely harmful to women and girls. However, every social group in the world adapts certain traditional practices and beliefs, some of which are good and useful for all members. Meanwhile, other practices are meant to harm a particular group such as women 2. In this sense, many Moroccan women experience harmful practices under the authority of traditions, men, and the social context. More specific harmful traditional practices in Morocco: underage marriage, honor oppression and virginity, stereotypes in which Moroccan women are misrepresented particularly in “Proverbs”, domestic violence, forced feeding in “HASSANI” culture, and Child maids. In addition to this, all of these practices contribute to the emergence of acts of violence and other abuses against women and girls 3.
The prevalence of some harmful practices against women in Morocco especially in the rural areas, explains why many NGOs have been struggling for a law that protects women and girls from being exposed to dangerous situations and experiences that threaten their lives, and their community. In addition to this, the Moroccan government has signed the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women, 18 December 1979 CEDAW. Though, nowadays, we still witness many violated and discriminated women and young girls in Morocco. Since the first time I encountered the concept of “Gender” in the university, I have been interested in it and the meanings it carries. Hence, I have started questioning why women are considered as being inferior to men and why they are given less freedom, as well as being violated whether publicly or privately. But the most crucial question is: why all kinds of harmful traditions against women are kind of encouraged and valued in our society? We cannot deny that all kinds of harmful traditional practices are the main cause that prevents Moroccan women from developing and progressing, knowingly, all the traditional practices contribute to dropping 1
Quoted from: United Nations. HARMFUL TRADITIONAL AGAINST WOMEN AND LEGISLATION. Expert paper prepared by Dr: Morissanda KOUYATE. 11 May 2009 Page 2. 2 Paraphrased from: Fact sheet No 23, HARMFUL TRADITINAL PRACTICES AFFECTING THE HEALTH OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN, Page 1. 3 Ibid, page 11.
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