On Sunday morning, March 5, in Rabat, a media convoy on supporting women’s rights in order to combat gender-based violence was launched, organized by the Esrar Coalition for Empowerment and Equality, for the benefit of female journalists and representatives of civil society, covering the regions of Rabat-Kenitra and Casablanca-Settat.
This media tour comes as part of the “Rights and Equality” project, from 05 to 08 March, in partnership with the non-governmental organization “Equal Rights and Independent Media” (Arim, which is the new name of Erics Europe), Adalah Association, and “For the Right”. In a fair trial” and the Moroccan Forum for Young Journalists, co-financed by the European Union and the French Development Agency, with the aim of promoting tripartite dialogue between civil society, Moroccan public institutions and the media, in order to create a legal framework conducive to fundamental freedoms, gender equality and combating gender-based violence in Morocco.
On this basis, the Esrar Coalition for Empowerment and Equality explained that the aim of this media tour is to enable the participants to better understand the current situation of women’s rights and the fight against gender-based violence, the national commitments made by the Moroccan state, and the efforts made by various stakeholders to improve the conditions of support for women victims. Violence and combating it, to promote and defend the impact of actions taken by civil society, the media and associations in the field of gender equality in Morocco.
This media tour also aimed to bring together a group of female journalists and representatives of civil society organizations, in order to meet and make field visits to institutions and associations active in the field of combating gender-based violence, in Rabat, Khemisset and Casablanca, the Ministry of Solidarity, Social Inclusion and the Family, The Ministry of Justice, the National Council for Human Rights, the Challenge Association for Equality and Citizenship, the Equity Association, and the Young Lawyers Association, which made it possible through these visits:
Raising awareness and making progress in respecting the principles of freedom and equality for all Moroccans.
– Enhancing the role of journalists and representatives of civil society in combating violence against women.
– Promoting exchange and building a permanent network of communication between public institutions, the media and associations.
Promoting equality and combating discrimination and violence against women and girls, thanks to the Family Law of 2004, but despite the legal progress, combating gender-based violence collides with a deeply rooted, societal and systematic culture that impedes the achievement of the declared goals and the effective application of laws, and draws a reality Completely different for Moroccan women and girls.
– Advocating for the adoption of laws and public policies that guarantee full equality, as well as contributing to the development of public debate on all issues related to human rights, especially women’s rights.
Creating an intellectual and societal dynamism to consolidate the culture of gender equality and translating it into practice through cultural, political and social programmes.
In the same context, Maryam Zamouri, head of the Esrar Coalition for Empowerment and Equality, said that this media tour is an opportunity to shed light on basic questions related to supporting women’s rights in order to combat gender-based violence, as it will enable reducing this phenomenon in general, raising capabilities and raising awareness. the importance of basic rights for women.
The same spokeswoman emphasized that what distinguishes this form of activity, which is a media tour, is its ability to allow the various institutional actors, the media, to participate with associations, to exchange experiences, unify efforts in the field, and create a diverse public debate and broad awareness of the dangers of this issue.
It is worth noting that the Esrar Coalition for Empowerment and Equality is a non-governmental organization, established in 2015. It includes local associations from various regions of Morocco. Its main objective is to ensure effective equality between the sexes. The Coalition also performs substantial work through strategies that aim to develop long-term programs that address the causes. The root causes of discrimination against women, and the development of constructive and effective solutions aimed primarily at achieving sustainable development for women on several economic, social and political levels, and to promote the adoption and activation of laws in order to support the implementation of measures aimed at guaranteeing women’s rights at the local, national and regional levels.