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Society

Moroccan Hotels Dismantle Discriminatory Policy Against Unmarried Women

Monday 27 May 2024 - 15:50

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In a move hailed as a victory for women's rights in Morocco, hotels in the capital Rabat and the city of Fez have lifted a long-standing discriminatory ban preventing Moroccan women without marriage certificates from staying in their establishments unaccompanied. This antiquated and unjust policy, which treated unmarried women as second-class citizens, has finally been dismantled following public outcry and political pressure.

The decision to abolish the controversial ban came swiftly after local police contacted hotels in Rabat last Saturday, instructing them to cease enforcement of the unwritten rule with immediate effect. "We were contacted by the police, who asked us to stop applying this measure that penalized women without a marriage certificate," disclosed the director of a prominent Rabat hotel, choosing to remain anonymous.

The dismantling of this discriminatory policy is a hard-won triumph for Moroccan women's rights advocates, who have long decried the practice as a blatant violation of gender equality and personal freedoms. The ban's removal comes at an opportune moment, with the Moroccan Parliament set to hold a pivotal debate on the issue in the coming days.

Minister of Justice Abdellatif Ouahbi has been summoned to address the House of Councillors, following calls from the nation's three largest parliamentary groups – the National Rally of Independents (RNI), the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), and the Istiqlal Party – to convene an urgent meeting of the Justice, Legislation, and Human Rights Commission to discuss the matter.

During a recent oral question session, Minister Ouahbi acknowledged the illegality of barring unmarried women from hotels, stating unequivocally, "There is no law prohibiting women without a marriage certificate from staying in a hotel." He suggested that the discriminatory practice might have stemmed from an obsolete administrative directive that some establishments continued to follow, despite its lack of legal standing.

While the lifting of this archaic ban is a significant stride towards gender equality in Morocco, the deeply rooted societal attitudes that enabled such discrimination to persist for so long must also be addressed. This pivotal moment presents an opportunity for the nation to engage in a substantive dialogue on women's rights and to enact comprehensive reforms that enshrine equality and personal freedoms as inviolable principles.

As Morocco continues its journey towards a more equitable and progressive society, the dismantling of discriminatory policies like the hotel ban serves as a powerful reminder that positive change is achievable through persistent advocacy and an unwavering commitment to human rights.