In an article published last month with the title, “Could Morocco see the next uprising, after Sudan and Algeria?” the BBC demonstrated a misunderstanding of Moroccan society by conflating civil unrest and public dissatisfaction over the kingdom’s leadership with the overall stability of the...
For many people, July 6 marked the passing of just another Saturday. But to over 1 billion people, it was of tremendous significance as it was the 25th UN International Day of Cooperatives. Over 12% of humanity contribute to one of the 3 million cooperatives on the planet. Cooperatives not only...
In this edition of The Interview, Fair Observer talks to Sana Afouaiz, an award-winning women’s rights advocate. Invisible Women of the Middle East: True Stories is a 2018 book by Moroccan author Sana Afouaiz, exploring the deepest layers of women’s lives across the Middle East and North...
The growth of cooperatives is one example of how women in the Middle East and North Africa are fighting back and showing resilience. North African women have long been celebrated in their societies as protectors of traditional culture. While this role is undoubtedly critical to any society, the...
Extremism cannot be defeated without the inclusion of women. Women should be encouraged to take a greater role in counterterrorism efforts as women and girls are disproportionately affected by terrorist violence. This was the message brought home in a speech by Sarah Sewall, US...
Greater support for female entrepreneurship will help the MENA region achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. The Middle East and North Africa (MENA), a region that is more often in the news for bombs and bullets than booming businesses, is experiencing a startup revolution. Nearly...
The Moroccan king’s speech emphasizes the explicit need for Muslims to act according to values that promote comity, respect and dignity. The US presidential campaigns have staked out their positions on Muslim-Americans, Muslim immigrants and, by extension, Muslims worldwide. These positions...
Greater education about a healthy diet and lifestyle and increased exercising facilities for women are needed to fight obesity in Morocco. Like many developing countries, Morocco is in the midst of a health transition. Until recently, infectious diseases and undernourishment posed the greatest...
Single mothers face several obstacles to enlisting their children in the Moroccan civil registry, which affects their access to education and health care. Issues of health and poverty are often viewed as arising from the people who they affect. This results in the pathologization of...
Changing the way we shop for Moroccan carpets can help ensure that weavers are fairly compensated for their work. Despite the existence of a global market for Moroccan carpets, the women who weave them often live in poverty and benefit very little economically from their craft. This is due in...
