2019-12-23

TANGIER - Hirak protests broke out in northern Morocco three years ago. Following the terrible death of a fish seller, the Riffines were crying out for good education, health care, work, fair justice and the fight against corruption. But the regime hit hard, resulting in hundreds of arrests. The leaders of the non-violent Hirak movement were sentenced to twenty years in prison.

Despite the repression, the protests did not die quietly. Three years after the first demonstrations, the Riffines continue to express their dissatisfaction today. Women play a very important role in these protests. This is remarkable in a region that is considered to be predominantly conservative. Does the Hirak contribute to the emancipation of women in the Rif area, or are the female activists forced to fill a gap as a result of the many arrests?

Ellen Debackere

Ellen Debackere is a freelance journalist and researcher.
€ 1.650 allocated on 12/08/2019.
ID
FPD/2019/1609