Moroccan Sociologist Urges Open Debate on Premarital Sex and Abortion Laws

According to the sociologist, single and childless, sexuality outside of marriage "exists" in Morocco, even if it is "forbidden" and "frowned upon socially". "Contraceptives are over-the-counter. Many children are born out of wedlock. So on the one hand, there is a tacit recognition in society that sexuality exists before marriage between consenting adults. On the other hand, there is this Article 490 of the Penal Code that prohibits sexual relations. It’s absurd and ridiculous," she says in an interview with Radio Canada.

For Sanaa El Aji El Hanafi, "we need a serious debate on sexuality" to avoid "abusive interpretations of the law" and "economic segregation". "When a man and a woman are traveling together in a car, it’s perfectly allowed, but there can always be a policeman who asks for the marriage certificate... People who don’t have the means will suffer more from these infringements on freedoms because, when you have the means, you can afford to rent two hotel rooms. You can afford to go to 5-star hotels that don’t systematically require the marriage certificate," she explains.

The sociologist makes the same observation for "voluntary termination of pregnancy" which can only be undergone by Moroccan women who can afford it. "When you have the means, you can go abroad, to countries where it is allowed, in Europe or Tunisia." "In a society like Morocco, as soon as it is born, it is rejected by society. It is semi-rejected by the laws, because a child born out of wedlock can still benefit from an identity since 2003. But he will face many difficulties in his daily life if he has not been recognized by the father," details Sanaa El Aji El Hanafi, stressing that it is better "to voluntarily terminate an unwanted pregnancy than to make a woman undergo a maternity that is not chosen".

The author of the book "Sexuality and Celibacy", published in 2018, believes that it takes a good dose of "political courage" and "awareness-raising" to implement certain laws, especially those relating to sexual freedoms and women’s rights. According to her, even the left-wing parties, "who call themselves liberal, do not tackle this type of debate head-on." The sociologist is hopeful that things will change, "because the debate is no longer elitist today... It is everywhere on social networks, in the media, in all social strata. But it will take a little time, maybe an entire generation."