NGO Santé Sud launched the 3inaya project with the aim of promoting sexual health care and gender equality in Morocco, as well as changing attitudes in the country. Santé Sud is a French organization working in France and internationally, promoting access for all to quality health care. It assists local organizations to improve long-lasting health care systems and restructuring. The 3inaya project is currently projected to run from 2022 to 2024 and has already begun to make strides in improving training and support for victims of gender-based violence.

Gender Equality in Morocco

Regarding the current situation of gender equality in Morocco, Franceline Toe Bouda, Committee Expert and Reporteur commended the country for making progress in accord with their Family Code. However, it was also “noted that the maternal mortality rate in rural areas (over 100 deaths per 100,000 births) was far higher than in urban areas (around 11 per 100,000).” This signifies that there are still areas of improvement in women’s health care and that whilst making strides in urban and more metropolitan areas, more emphasis is necessary in rural areas.

Gender-based violence is sadly prevalent in Morocco, with a report that the High Planning Commission published stating that “the number of victims who experienced at least one act of violence fell from 63% to 57% between 2009 and 2019,” despite being a drop is still a very high statistic. The survey looked at women aged 18 to 64 years, however, didn’t review cyber-harassment or violence.

In 2018, the Moroccan Ministry of Education focused on promoting gender equality by supporting the implementation of a Medium-term Strategic Action Plan. The plan aimed to normalize gender equality in the Moroccan education system through “the dissemination of a positive and objective image of women through the diffusion of knowledge” and “the adoption of a quota for female representation greater than or equal to 30% (aiming for parity) in the statutes and laws governing both education and trade unions” among other goals.

How Will the 3inaya Project Help?

The 3inaya project aims “to promote gender equality and sexual health through educating and raising awareness among individuals.” This strategy extends not only to women but also men and young people to change social norms.

President of LDDF-Injad Network, Najia Tazrout has expressed her desire for widespread education, “arguing that violence against women remains persistent” and “that there is a sense of “normalization and justification” of violence in the country,” Morocco World News reports.

The main action points of the 3inaya project are to train teachers to be able to identify violence toward victims by creating training modules on “sexual health, rights and gender” in higher education such as universities. They have also decided to train health professionals such as nurses and doctors to be able to identify, screen, and care for women victims of violence. Additionally, they intend of training health professionals and social workers in psychological support for sexual assault survivors.

So far, the program has supported “4,500 women and child survivors” of gender-based violence. The project has also trained “12 CSOs from the Réseau Femmes Solidaires, 60 teachers, 90 health professionals, six social workers and the media,” according to Santé Sud.

Improvements and changes that Santé Sud has been making through the 3inaya project promise to show results and make a significant difference in gender equality in Morocco and how the country approaches reducing gender-based violence and stigmatization of victims.

– Priya Maiti
Photo: Flickr