National Guidelines in Morocco - National Plan for the Integration of Woman to Development

Alternative link on the integration of Women

The National Plan for the Integration of Woman to Development ("Plan d'Action National pour l'Intégration de la Femme au Development" (PANIFD)) 1998-2003 was presented by Prime Minister Abderrahmane El-Youssoufi in March 1999, is characterised by efforts to improve the status of women through wide-reaching legislative reforms. More precisely, PANIFD seeks to conduct specific reforms dealing with the Moudawwana.

These reforms seek, inter alia, to:

1. Increase the minimum age for marriage from 15 to 18.
2. Fully replace the practice of repudiation under which a divorced wife has no recourse with court divorces. (A husband is currently allowed to repudiate his wife without justification, depriving her of all rights relating to the couple's marital property).
3. Make polygamous marriage subject to the first wife's consent, given freely before a judge.
4. To grant women the right to obtain a copy of their marriage certificate at the registry office, allowing them to retain custody of their children in case of separation or divorce.
5. It enshrines the right of women to freely choose a spouse without anyone's prior approval.
6. To give the right to unmarried mothers to give their children any surname they choose and the right to designate the father as "unknown" when registering the birth of an illegitimate child.

The plan also seeks, generally, to promote women's participation to education, improve women's literacy, and promote egalitarian culture in education programs. Reforms will also seek to establish reproductive health policies, as well as integrate women to economic development and struggle against poverty.

In addition to legislative reforms, PANIFD seeks to introduce a gender-oriented approach at the institutional level and contemplates:

1. A 2000-2004 Plan introducing "gender and development" units within all Ministries dealing with the issue of the integration of women to development.
2. A Permanent Commission for the follow-up and Promotion of Women's Image within the Media.
3. The creation of a Moroccan-based North African Centre for Research and Study on Female Enterprise, as well as the creation of a Training Centre, in partnership with the European Union.
4. The creation of a national Commission for Family and Childhood.