Why is abortion such a taboo and a controversial topic in Morocco? There are several answers to this question, but the most obvious answer is religion and more precisely: Islam, Morocco’s official state religion. However, the issue is not Islam itself as a religion but the Moroccan state´s reliance on the Maliki school of thought in Islam. This school is considered to have some of the strictest interpretations on the issue of abortion. The Maliki doctrine, or school, also heavily influences our criminal law which outlaws abortion.
Another answer to why abortion is banned in Morocco is the cultural aspect. In Morocco, society limits the role of women to a reproductive function. For this reason, our society cannot accept women who do not want to do- bear children, that is- what they were created for. Rather, this discourse, which considers women a mere vessel for childbearing and reproduction, is prominent in school curriculums. Children are taught that women should bear children.
As a result, all the successes and gains of women are null and void in the face of their inability or choice not to have children. In the end, the success and role of women boils down to childbearing. If women do not bear children, there is no point in their existence. This is how I feel the discourse goes here in Morocco. It is a position that completely goes against the rights of women.
