Morocco: Mistreatment Of Single Mothers
- NEWS
- 08/14/12
Ranya Sossey Alaoui
Fedwa Laroui, that’s a name many Moroccans will never forget. On February 22, 2011, Laroui, 25, the mother of two children, set herself on fire after being excluded from a social housing program. According to her, she had also been mistreated by authorities because she was an unmarried mother.
Two days later, Laroui died, succumbing to her fatal injuries becoming, according to media reports, Morocco’s national Mohamed Bouazizi, and leaving both the country and the international community to a large shock.
Many single mothers in Morocco say they face discrimination, segregation, intolerance, brutality, and sometimes, arrests. But if Fedwa Laroui, by an ultimate act of despair chose to end her life, the other Moroccan unwed mothers still have to face the critical outlook of society: families, police, judges, doctors in very distressing and difficult circumstances.
In Morocco, recent statistics bring the number of unwed mothers to 220,000, according a 2011 survey submitted by the association Insaf, a nonprofit organization established to prevent child abandonment. It says that amounts to more than 550.000 babies.
As in most Muslim countries, many families consider falling pregnant out of wedlock in to be shameful and a sin.
“Sex out of wedlock is forbidden in Islam, for both boys and girls. But the irony of all that is, when it comes to sex, only girls are stigmatized by society. A non-virgin girl will always be considered as a slut, if not a whore but if on top of that, she manages to get pregnant, she just bought her ticket to hell. And in Morocco, hell starts before she dies,” emphasized sociologist Abdellah Ziwziw, who adds that in many cases, the pregnant woman is rejected by her family.
Amina Chlouchi 25, is the single mother of a 2 year old baby girl named Malak, which means Angel in English.
“When my parents found out I had a daughter, they totally cut off ties with me. They don’t want to hear anything about me or my daughter anymore. My sister told me once they never mention my name at home. It’s like I never existed,” says Chlouchi.
In fact, in Morocco, it is against the law to have a baby out of wedlock. Article 446 of the Moroccan Penal Code, establishes punishments for sex outside of marriage. According to the same Article, if convicted, a Moroccan could be sentenced to one year’s imprisonment.
Chlouchi says she trusted her boyfriend when he promised her love, support and marriage but, in the end, she says she got none of that from the father of her child. After Chlouchi told her daughter’s father about her pregnancy, she says he warned her that he would never recognize his child with her. Sadly for her, he was a man of his word.
“I didn’t expect anything from him anymore after giving birth to Malak, no money, no marriage. All I asked for is that he establishes the paternity. But two years later, he still refuses” said Chlouchi. “Yes, I made a huge mistake, but my baby has nothing to do with all this. She has the right to have a decent life.”
Chlouchi says the most challenging part in her whole single mother experience, was delivering her child. “I will never forget the day I was in labor,” said Chlouchi. “The hospital staff treated me so bad. They didn’t offer me food and didn’t even let me stay with the “regular” patients.”
Despite all the barriers placed by society, some single mothers – including Chlouchi manage to find psychological and legal help at women’s and girls‘ centers or refuges, though they are without the capacity to help all of those who need it. Chlouchi says after she left the hospital, she was desperate “I was homeless, with nowhere to go, no money, no clothing and no one to help.”
“I don’t know what could’ve happened to me and my daughter if I didn’t hear about Solidarité Feminine’ Chlouchi says. “I applied, and my situation was so desperate I got accepted only a few days later,” she adds.
Solidarité Féminine, is one of the most well-known centers for single mothers. It was established by Aicha Ech Chenna in 1985 in Casablanca.
“When I saw, back in the 80’s, a young mother’s crying for shame tears and forced to abandon her child, I swore to God it was going to be the last one. The baby’s cry for his mom kept ringing in my ear all night. I couldn’t sleep, » said Ech Chenna.
Years later, she became known as the Moroccan “Mother Theresa,” an icon of women’s rights, even winning the humanitarian Opus Prize in 2009. Solidarité Féminine, for its part, has been supporting unwed mothers for more than 25 years.
“I created this Association to prove to those mothers and to society, that abortion and abandonment are not the only solutions. I wanted these mothers to know they could be able to keep their babies and hope for a decent life, even if they are by themselves,” says Ech Chenna, adding that her association is overwhelmed by applications and can only hold a maximum of 50 mothers, providing them jobs, health care and baby-sitters.
“In Morocco, due to lack of centers, the burden of poverty is borne disproportionately by single mothers living alone,” says Ech Chenna. That’s the case of Ajetou, 46, herself a single mother who benefited from the help of Solidarité Feminine. After she left the Association, Ajetou found a job as a garbage truck driver. Although she lives in the slums, she has managed to provide her daughter Dounia , 23, with a good education. Today, Dounia is a fifth year medical school student in Casablanca.
“Even though I was confronted sometimes by my classmates’ mockeries, I always walked with my head held high. If my father decided to abandon me, it’s his loss and not mine,” said Dounia. ”My mother was enough for me and I’ll always be grateful to her for all the sacrifices that she made for me,” she adds.
For many single mothers it appears to be their children that give their lives meaning and focus. “Malak, is my angel,” Chlouchi says. “She made my life better and brighter. Every time I look at her, as hard as it is for me, I know I made the best decision.” Chlouchi has even managed to resume her studies in sociology at Hassan II university in Casablanca.
“I don’t have it all, but I didn’t lose it all,” she says.
Princess Goodridge contributed to the reporting of this story.
Article previously published by Quandisha
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Comments (10)
it's not that there is nothing of substance to put on your site.
Who is this ziwziw anyway?
I hope you can post
Few examples:
Amina Chlouchi 25, is the single mother of a 2 year old baby girl named Malak, which means Angel in English.
What does the translation of the name Malak to English has to do with the story?
In Morocco, recent statistics bring the number of unwed mothers to 220,000, according a 2011 survey submitted by the association Insaf
Insaf? really? not the The Gallup Organization?
Survey? is that how data is collected? using surveys? Please
Chlouchi says she trusted her boyfriend when he promised....... .
Anyone heard this story before or it is just me?
I better stop here but before I do that, I like to say that I am all about empowering women, if you have followed my comments here in the past, you will notice I am probably the only one here who questions the fact that a Man in Islam has the luxury of marrying 4 women and a woman is worth half of a man in the inheritance law.
I am not against who you call a journalist, I am against lower level articles being posted by MB which in my mind is an insult to the intelligence of the readers and commentators here. Apparently you find this article inspiring and that's where we differ.
Cheers!
You don't empower women by giving them a break for whatever mediocrity they throw at you. Women should be considered no less than men, a good example and at least in the physical part, US women in the Olympics brought more medals than men. They have not accomplished this milestone because they are women and were given a break; they have done it because they worked harder and perhaps smarter.
We should refrain from making women victims; we are not serving our sisters and daughters by treating them as feeble creatures. You can ask any woman and she’ll tell you, I do not want any freebies, I just want to be considered no less or
More equal than a man, be it at work, at home, at the mosque, at the beach or even at the sheesha café.
Our Moroccan culture does not help a woman, she is guarded by her brother, father, and even by her other sister. Of course she would want to breathe. Women do not want to get this hypocritical attention. The culture gives the false impression that women should be saved for their men when they wed.
My fellow MBoardists , if you want to help your sister or your daughter, let them be who they want to be. I am not saying buy them a beer and join them for sheesha, I am simply saying treat them equally with men.
If the woman in the anecdote was self-reliant and has not believed her “liar” boyfriend, she would not have put all her eggs in one basket. She would have many other eggs to fry.
As for writing articles, I would suggest that my sisters here take a peek at Leila lalami's blog lailalalami.com/ to get an idea of what I am talking about.
That's what I consider good writing but you can disagree.
Morcelli: I am very happy you took the tome to read my article, I respect your point of view and I appreciate your enthusiasm for sharing.
I might not appreciated your style of writing but you are sure a classy lady.
You reminded me the good old bumper sticker that reads " Kill them with kindness". I think you've got my point, It was not meant to discredit you, it was mainly to push you to be the best writer out there. Good Luck!
With all due respect to you Morcelli, i don't share your opinion.
I loved this paper, and after reading your comments i even read it two other times just for revaluation, in case i wouldnt have noticed some "dangerous" mistakes, or missed the poor english. I really don't see anything wrong with it, It's the absolute definition, to me, of a report. Short, concise and objective. It's not a column, the writer is free to confirm this if she wants but i don't see her stating her opinion at any time. Very professional. I do respect your opinion Morcelli but i cant help thinking that saying hammamish and mediocre is pushing it a little bit too far. But that's your opinion, i dont have the same but i owe it respect. After all the writer respects it herself doesnt she ?.
Now i shall comment the topic.
I, myself, studied medicine and have been confronted to many cases where single mothers were mistreated in front of me. Feeded yes, but poorly, offered beds yes, but isolated and insulted indeed. By whom? Nurses and Doctorsthemselv es, like me, who studied ya salam for more than 10 years. How can we be so knowledgeable and narrow minded? Not only regarding single mothers, people who can't pay (as much as they want too), teenagers living in the slums, old abandoned people...but this is not news to anybody. Isn't this job all about humanity? .Thanks god all the doctors are not like that, otherwise i swear i would have quitted a long time ago.
I salute the writer for her courage and sensitivity. It takes pure commitment to write abt such topic. Good luck.
Ranya Sossey Alaoui' response to me is nothing short of classy. Would I say the same thing about the article itself? I would not. My reasoning is very simple, nothing new from what we have not seen or heard. If you follow Morocco's events on a daily basis as I do, you will immediately understand my comment. My criticism is not about the proper use of the English language, or about the style of writing. My comment as harsh as it might be, was about the substance. When I read an article, I want to learn something new, I want the author to teach me something, I want to know what the author thinks, I wan to to be intrigued, I want my curiosity to be stimulated.
I know that I am asking for too much, and why not? if I can challenge the writer to provide us with these feelings when we read her, it can only beneficial to her writing.
Still, thank you for your comment, glad that you did not accuse me of being afraid of change because I happen to be a male as our dear Kenza happened to believe.
Some women may feel that she is a burden on the family and the need to marry and start a family. A woman might simply believe in something called love. Basically, like most men and women start a family and then you are afraid of losing someone who you could marry.
Some of the girls who have sex before marriage in Morocco stands in for a decision viewed from their perspective: Losing the man or lose herself (her virginity, and we all know what that means in Morocco)
The main issue is the social economic differences in the country (like most of third world) that makes the less fortunate ones act more desperately than others.
I am born and raised in Sweden and worked two years in morocco. And the worst thing for me was the view of women and most of all: the view of themselves. Not to mention an unmarried mothers...
I think the short time solution is work, money so they can survive. And the long term: Education(and sexual education), work and organizations that teach them their right.
Very interesting article that brings up an even more interesting subject, that need to be spoken about.
Sure, articles are angled more or less, but the author would get her message. Great work!
Mohamed El Azzouzi
Je vais donc poster en anglais, de peur de froisser certains par mon niveau en anglais je l'avoue, à peine acceptable.
Je te remercie, Ranya, pour ce papier.
je te remercie d'avoir eu le réflexe, le courage, et la sensibilité de t'attaquer à un tel sujet. Les mères célibataires font partie de ces fléaux tabous, et qui ne bénéficient donc de très peu, si ce n'est d'aucun, intérêt de la part du gouvernement.
Je n'oublierai jamais l'intervention d'une certaine Bassima Hakkaoui sur 2m, à l'époque du scandale Amina Filali et son avis sur l'avortement... ça m'a mis sous le choc.
Aucune disposition n'est prête à être appliquée pour venir en aide à ses mères là. Et les pères dans tout ça? Pourquoi ne leur fait-on jamais porter le chapeau? Pourquoi est ce la fille qui est traitée de sale pute? "It takes two to dance the tango ;)"
Jusqu'à quand toute cette discrimination? Jusqu'où va-t-elle aller pour que ce pays se réveille enfin et affronte ces maux?
Réveille toi Maroc, pieux, conservateur et musulman, ici on couche HORS les liens "sacrés" du mariage.
Alors réveille toi très cher Maroc, tu ne m'es plus cher à cet instant...lorsq ue je vois ce que subissent enfants et mères par ta négligence.
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