Morroco: Landmark Family Law Supports Women’s Equality

Women’s Learning Partnership (WLP) and their partner organisation l’Association Démocratique des Femmes du Maroc (ADFM) have reported that on January 25, 2004, the government of Morocco adopted a new landmark Family Law supporting women’s equality and granting them new rights in marriage and divorce, among others. In April 2001, efforts to pass similar family law reforms were suspended while a Consultative Commission established by His Majesty King Mohammed VI studied the possibility of revising the Moudawana, Morocco's Civil Status Code that encompassed family law governing women's status. The continued advocacy and awareness-raising efforts of women’s rights activists, strong backing by government leaders such as Prime Minister Abderrahmane Youssoufi, and the personal public support of HM King Mohammed VI contributed to the Commission’s decision in favour of a reformed Moroccan Family Law.