by Cynthia Smith-Ayed, AIWC Casablanca and FAWCO Region 7 Coordinator
The Region 7 Meeting alternates between Rabat and Casablanca, Morocco. This year it was held in Casablanca. The theme was “Human Rights: Access to Technology and Safeguarding Women and Girls.” The morning speakers were Stephanie Willman Bordat and Wissal Khadrouf.
Stephanie is a human rights lawyer who founded an NGO in Rabat that addresses various issues specific to Moroccan women under the present law. Her presentation discussed a survey done around the country interviewing victims of harassment, perpetrators and police and judges. Half the victims knew their aggressors and the motives were sexual coercion, financial blackmail, revenge or family conflict. Means was by email, text messages, social media and messaging applications. Average length of trial was 3–6 months, with one third reporting the violence occurring several times a day. Less than 50 percent spoke to someone and only 10 percent reported the crime to the police.
Wissal has various experiences with Enabel (Belgium) and Microsoft and specializes in digital inclusion and combatting cyber violence. She spoke about local Moroccan initiatives supported by Enabel to set up project sites in three locations in police stations with special rooms for cyber violence victims and their children. There are also training programs to enhance security services within the framework of the law against cyber violence and immersion programs to build capacities of professionals. Applications are available in the local language for reporting and learning about the legal rights.
After a lovely buffet lunch in The Churchill Club garden, the afternoon consisted of presentations by Belen Monasterio, FAWCO 2nd VP for Member Clubs, on FAWCO and myself on The FAWCO Foundation and the Target Program. A tombola was held to raise money for the Target Project, and part of the conference dues were added for a total of $800 to be donated by AIWC Casablanca.