From previous entries, it is clear that there are a number of threats to development in Morocco. However, water scarcity and contamination are a big issue in Morocco as well (K. Rhanem n.d.). As an arid environment, Morocco does not have large water resources (Re, Sacchi, Mas-Pla,  Menció, and El Amrani 2014). In addition to being in an arid environment, Morocco’s ground waters are dwindling, which makes their reliance on agriculture difficult (Re et al. 2014). Now, roughly 15% of Morocco’s agricultural land is irrigated, and much of the rest of the water is not being managed effectively (K. Rhanem n.d.). Although one of 45 countries facing water scarcity, many of which are in Africa, Morocco does have enough water resources, at the moment (K. Rhanem n.d.). Nevertheless, to reach Morocco’s underground water resources, drilling and irrigation must take place 80% deeper into the earth than in previous years (Re et al. 2014). 

            In a time when urbanization is increasing and the population is growing, causing an even greater dependence on agriculture, a reduction in water is problematic (Re et al. 2014). In addition, a lot of the water that does exist in Morocco is polluted to some degree, Frequently due to lacking infrastructure regarding sanitation and waste water treatment systems (Guessous 2018). On a more positive note, there are many who are attempting to conserve water resources and manage the existing water to keep it healthy and clean (K. Rhanem n.d.). today, there is more focused on creating public awareness around water use, and the ants and the service even exists to send text messages to Moroccan farmers to remind them to conserve water… They are also a number of via mental groups and NGOs who are attempting to introduce new technologies to help with agricultural productivity and to heighten water sanitation (Guessous 2018).  Nevertheless, water scarcity and contamination will probably continue to be an issue in morocco for some time to come.

References

K. Rhanem. Water and Sanitation. USAID. Retrieved from    https://www.usaid.gov/morocco/water-and-            sanitation (n.d.).

Hamza Guessous. Morocco among Countries Facing Water Scarcity. Retrieved from https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2018/02/240719/morocco-countries-facing-water-          scarcity/ (2018).

Re, V., E. Sacchi, J. Mas-Pla, A. Menció, and N. El Amrani. “Identifying the effects of human     pressure on groundwater quality to support water management strategies in coastal     regions: a multi-tracer and statistical approach (Bou-Areg region, Morocco).” Science of       the Total Environment 500 (2014): 211-223.

Below are the links for more information on water issues in Morocco.

https://www.usaid.gov/morocco/water-and-sanitation

https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2018/02/240719/morocco-countries-facing-water-scarcity/

Here is another resource, by Aziza Chaouni, an architect and ecotourism specialist, who is presenting a TED Talk on her successful efforts to clean up a river that runs through her hometown of Fez, Morocco.

https://www.ted.com/talks/aziza_chaouni_how_i_brought_a_river_and_my_city_back_to_life?language=mn

Oxfam International is a non-governmental organization (NGO) designed to help eliminate global poverty. Part of its mission includes establishing democratic practices throughout the Arab world; Oxfam seeks to achieve this by advocating for economically and legally disadvantaged women, encouraging civic participation from disenfranchised communities, and fostering sustainable economic growth (Oxfam 2019). Oxfam has been involved in Morocco since 1994, and has had a meaningful impact on the country; this was particularly the case after the Arab Spring in 2011, when Morocco sought major constitutional overhaul (Oxfam 2019). In 2011, there was significant political instability to Morocco when the streets were flooded with pro-democracy protests; King Muhammad understood that he needed to respond to the people’s criticisms by creating an independent judicial branch and expanding parliamentary power (Encyclopedia Britannica 2019). Despite this surge in activism, by 2016, many issues persisted in Morocco; little progress was made regarding reform, protests over poverty and poor working conditions broke out, and progress regarding women’s rights had minimally progressed (Encyclopedia Britannica 2019). Moroccan women have more legal protections than they did under Sharia law, but men still have significant advantages over women, particularly in inheritance law and divorce court situations (Encyclopedia Britannica 2019).

While the progress made by Oxfam has been somewhat limited, Oxfam’s presence has helped reinforce change in Moroccan society. One of the ways that Oxfam does this is by emphasizing “the supremacy of international law over national law” (Oxfam 2019 para 2). This is ethically challenging, as it reduces the importance of Moroccan social mores in order to bolster the generally secular, western values, which the United Nations represents. While there certainly are contexts in which international law should unquestionably take precedence, particularly when violence, health, and poverty are concerned, to assert that international values should always come first is to risk alienating the countries and cultures that this type of intervention claims to help. Real socio-political change should prominently include, if not primarily focus on, conversations within countries, which seek to organically reevaluate their existing values.

Check out the links below for more information:

Encyclopedia Britannica. The Spanish Zone. Morocco. Retrieved from

          https://www.britannica.com/place/Morocco/The-Spanish-Zone. (2019).

Oxfam. Morocco. Retrieved from

https://www.oxfam.org/en/countries/morocco (2019).

Women and Oxfam. Please see the link below for more information.

Visit our regional website Oxfam in the Middle East & North Africa (in Arabic)

Moroccan women have had limited autonomy in private and public life throughout their history. Islam was introduced to Morocco in the late 7th century, and has reigned ever since (Britannica). The influence of Islam, many have argued, has led to the imposition of many patriarchal structures and practices in Morocco, including the forced seclusion of women, limited legal protections for women, the veiling of women, and the imposition of social and legal power of families over women (Badran).

In the mid-20th century, while Morocco was under French colonial rule, women often stayed in harems. Harems were all-female households in which family members lived and worked together; no men were allowed in harems except for husbands, and women could not leave their harem without a man’s permission (Thirdeyemom). Women could only attend Koranic schools, which focused near-exclusively on religious education; this kept women from economic participation and kept women from being truly autonomous (Thirdeyemom). This shows how until fairly recently, women’s presence in the public sphere was tremendously limited.

 Morocco was ranked 119th in the United Nations Gender Inequality index; only a quarter of women are employed in Morocco, and the maternal mortality rate was at 121 deaths for every 100,000 live births (United Nations). Morocco remains a Muslim country, and accordingly, the Qu’ran remains to be the foundation of law in Morocco; because the Qu’ran advocates a patriarchal social system,  men have advantages over women under the law (Britannica).

Recently, legal action has been taken to bolster the rights of women in Morocco. In 2004, the Moroccan parliament made legal reforms to try and correct family law injustices (Britannica). In 2018, Moroccan women gained legal protection from some forms of sexual harassment, sexual assault, domestic violence, and mistreatment; however, these laws are woefully inadequate in some regards — marital rape, for example, is not criminalized under this law (Middle East Eye, 2018). Over 40% of Moroccan women have suffered an act of violence, which suggests a pervasive culture of violence and misogyny (Middle East Eye, 2018). Overall, while women are certainly gaining status in Morocco, there is a lot of progress yet to be made. The gradual liberalization of Islamic values in Morocco is allowing for greater freedoms for women.

Take a look at this interesting article about
gender equality changes in the law last year.

https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/morocco-gender-equality-law-goes-effect

Badran, M. (n.d.). Dossier 4: Islam, Patriarchy, and Feminism in the Middle East. Retrieved March 3, 2019, from http://www.wluml.org/fr/node/249

U. (n.d.). Human Development Reports. Retrieved March 3, 2019, from http://hdr.undp.org/en/composite/GII

Melancon, N. (2018, April 14). Women in Morocco. Retrieved March 3, 2019, from https://thirdeyemom.com/2011/04/25/1084/

Miller, S. G., & Barbour, N. (2019, February 27). Morocco. Retrieved March 3, 2019, from https://www.britannica.com/place/Morocco/The-Spanish-Zone

As discussed before on this blog, Morocco is a country rich in culture and history. Tourism, art, and culture reflect an interesting mix of the past and the present (Boum 2012). Morocco’s culture, arts, and tourism come from many different places. In the BBC video below (the first link), there is a comprehensive history of the African Berbers in Morocco and their contribution to Moroccan culture and society, although it was more their initial creation. (BBC Documentary). Given the mix of influences in Morocco, there is much to see and do regarding the arts, culture, and tourism. Morocco is now a unique mix of the traditional, from a few different traditions, to the modern, which is more of a western World influence (Khallouk, 2008). On the second link below, you can get a very good idea of Moroccan tourism and what Morocco is like today. Most of the scenes that you see on the video from the second link below depict more traditional events and festivities, most of which take place in Marrakesh, one of the few areas still committed to keeping older traditions alive.

The Kingdom of Morocco BBC Documentary – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_S4vkN7PqEA

As far as tourism as an industry, there are many in Morocco who seek to profit off of tourism. From the website visitmorocco.com (https://www.visitmorocco.com/en/experiences/culture), they share, “Through rooted in its traditions, Morocco offers all the conveniences of modern times.” The website appears to follow a typical western model of encouraging tourism, as noted by Gordon (2006) in this week’s readings, it is clear that tourism in many places is economically driven. However, the website also points out, “Morocco has been around for thousands of years and has inherited centuries of tradition. And yet this kingdom is not the least bit frozen in time. It has a vibrant culture that is expressed each day in the little details that make up daily routines and habits, as well as in celebrations and rituals” (visitmorocco.com).

Despite the drive to profit from tourism, traditional culture is alive and well in Morocco and, for some, part of the goal to promote tourism is linked to preserving Morocco’s unique culture (Boum 2012). Just as in the article by Chaudhuri and Dutta related to tourism and culture in India, some tourism in Morocco is being used to promote and preserve the traditional culture.

References

Boum, Aomar. “Festivalizing dissent in Morocco.” Middle East Report 263, no. Summer (2012): 22-25.

Sayantani Ray Chaudhuri and Madhura Dutta, “Creating New Partnerships at Grass Roots to Promote and Protect Cultural Heritage – a Case Study from India” (case study paper, /courses/1617151/files/92886598/download

Tamar Gordon, “Plenary Session Talk: “Whose Development? Culture and Development in China’s Ethnic Theme Parks” (proceeding paper, Seamo-Spafa, 2006).

Because Morocco is a relatively small African country, its unique position between Europe, Africa, and the Mediterranean has given it a distinct culture, bringing together many Eastern and Western influences to create a blended culture (CIA World Factbook). Historically, this has shown up in cultural identifiers like clothing, which has included traditional African clothing as well as Western styles (Oxford Business Group).

This blend of cultures likely comes from its geographic location, as mentioned above, but that also influenced the trading in the area, which in turn affected the culture. For instance, culturally, Morocco is known for its rich foods, which likely come from being a stop in the Oriental spice trade (Khallouk, 2008). The biggest influence of Eastern culture on Morocco is clear in the relationships between people. The family is considered a vital aspect of life, like it would be in a collectivist society like China (Khallouk, 2008). A more relaxed attitude about time is another example of Eastern influence (Khallouk, 2008). In Morocco, time is flexible, and strict punctuality is not a part of daily life, even in business, like it would be in a Western country like the United States (Khallouk, 2008). Finally, Islam has deep roots in Morocco, leading to another set of cultural and religious values that, while not distinctly Eastern or Western, tend to be more in conflict with Western values and, therefore, more in line with Eastern values (Khallouk, 2008).

On the other hand, many European countries like Spain and France have laid claim to Morocco at one time or another, leading to many Western cultural traits (Montagne, 1948). For example, Moroccan society is patriarchal (Khallouk, 2008). Though this is common in many countries, there is an extreme patriarchy in the United States, with the divide between men and women being more extreme than in other countries. One interesting part of the separation between Eastern and Western cultures in Morocco is that each individual’s understanding of their society is determined by how they were raised and their own preferences (Khallouk, 2008). The cultural understandings replicate each other, because families that see themselves as more Western tend to be more focused on financial gain, which gives them resources to send their children to Westernized schools, which teaches the children Western values. On the other hand, a family that is more focused on Eastern values is likely to stay together and better themselves collectively and in ways that are not solely monetary.

Morocco’s cultural values are pretty evenly divided between Eastern and Western values. However, I would say that there are certain traits of Western culture that are going to continue to grow in popularity, such as personal freedoms and a sense of self. As a result, the Eastern aspects of Moroccan culture might lessen over time. That isn’t to say that Eastern cultures are bad, just that Western cultures seem to be on the rise and more “popular” with younger generations, which will lead to larger cultural shifts.

Please check out the four links below and the pictures to get a better idea of East and West in Morocco.

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/mo.html

https://oxfordbusinessgroup.com/overview/morocco-continues-mix-diverse-cultures-and-modernise-state

https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/morocco/1948-01-01/morocco-between-east-and-west

http://www.aui.ma/personal/~Sa.Khallouk/moroccanculture.htm

            Morocco has a lot of resources that could be used for economic development, but there is also a great deal of illness and a lack of education there (Matunhu 65). Rostow’s Modernization Theory would imply this makes many African nations, including Morocco, “traditional societies” (Rostow). However, Matunhu points out that Rostow’s theory is based more in a society focused on technology and industry, rather than agriculture or tourism, as many African nations are (Matunhu 66). In addition, many of the ongoing conflicts between other African nations affect the development of the surrounding countries, such as Morocco (Matunhu 66). The historical context of European colonialism in Africa also slows down economic development in Morocco (Matunhu 67). This matches with Ferraro’s Dependency Theory, which states that developing countries are stunted by the impacts of developed countries (Ferraro). Interestingly, Matunhu points out an additional layer of dependency in African nations: that urban areas exploit rural areas (Matunhu 68). This is likely particularly true in Morocco, where tourism, especially in large, urban areas, is a primary source of income (World Bank).
Morocco’s economic development is relatively advanced compared to other African nations, ranking six out of 14 countries in the Middle East and North Africa (2019 Index of Economic Freedom). That is because of its geographical location near Europe (World Bank). The proximity to Europe gives Morocco an advantage in tourism, as many tourists take day trips there, and the closeness means additional technologies and capabilities of Europe would have reached Morocco more quickly than other, more southern African nations (World Bank). However, Morocco’s economic development has slowed in recent years because of political strife and decreased agricultural output (World Bank). The decline in GDP is also expected to continue into this year and the next (World Bank).

This link to the World Bank’s website on Morocco is interesting:

https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/morocco

          

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton