This post was mentioned on Twitter by talkmorocco: “Women’s Rights: A Good Bet For Modernity” http://bit.ly/ciMDAi #TalkMorocco #Morocco…

> “This is not a matter of modern versus backwards,”

Kinda is.

Humanity, in general, has had strong patriarchal tendencies. It is only recently that women started being viewed as full citizens. Morocco’s just some time behind.

> “Islamic laws don’t date themselves as they should remain relevant to any Islamic society, no matter the era. However, Morocco, as most readers know, is far from a “true Islamic” society.”

Irrelevant! Moroccans are of all creeds. You (Muslims) have no right telling the rest how to live their lives. Laws should be grounded in reason and public debate, not so-called divine scripture.

Get out of this medieval mindset, please.

For uninformed readers, under Islamic law, women are entitled to full financial maintenance, be it from a father, brother, husband or other male relative. In the absence of a male relative, then the society should maintain her. Is this to leave her strapped and bound, bowing to male ego? Hardly. It’s so that she doesn’t HAVE to work outside the home if it doesn’t suit her.

In the case of inheritance, a woman’s brother may inherit double her share from a deceased father because he is obligated to support the women of his family (including his sister if she is not married), while she is not obligated to support herself from her own inheritance share or any other money. So the law is actually in favor of the financial ease of women.

In another application, this means that if a wife works, or has her own substantial savings, her wealth and income are for her solely if she chooses, and need not go towards food, housing, clothing or other family expenses. If she doesn’t work, she can feel content with, and unapologetic about, her contribution as wife and mother.

And if an unmarried woman chooses not to work, she is supposed to feel assured, and not beholden to the fact, that someone in her family will provide for her.

None of this is to prevent women from seeking advanced degrees, or working in fulfilling careers, or contributing substantially to their family’s finances. It’s really about the right a woman has whether or not to choose whether or not to do that, and it also elevates the status of women who are devoted to domestic pursuits.

All that said, the problems in Morocco hardly improve with the family law, or a change to inheritance law. It’s that the country has so deviated from core Islamic values that men can’t or don’t stand up to their full responsibilities. And for those that want to, the opportunities are dismal.