Moroccan Women’s Groups Demand Justice in University Sex-for-Grades Scandal

Last September, screenshots revealed that a professor at the Faculty of Legal, Economic and Social Sciences in Settat had demanded sexual favors from a student in exchange for good grades. Subsequently, five university professors were brought before the courts, three of whom were arrested as part of an investigation opened by the National Brigade of the Judicial Police (BNPJ). In the wake of this, the Head of Government, Aziz Akhannouch, dismissed the dean of this faculty from his duties.

In the eyes of the regional branch of the Federation of the League of Women’s Rights in Casablanca-Settat, these facts "reveal how deeply rooted the phenomenon of harassment and violence against women is in Moroccan society" and "the lack of a legal arsenal to protect them and do them justice", reports Alyaoum24.com. Furthermore, they "constitute human trafficking". The Federation has therefore decided to "follow the course of the legal case and support the victim students, and has committed to providing them with legal and psychological support".

In a press release, the Settat section of the Moroccan Association for Human Rights (AMDH) called on the authorities to ensure "equality for all on the basis of merit, higher education being a universal human right". It also called for the investigation to be extended to the dean of this faculty. Without forgetting to reaffirm its commitment to the principle of accountability.