From a woman's point of view

Some observations on life as a woman in Morocco; just my impressions as a foreign woman formed over the last couple of weeks as we have travelled around the country, not a generalization about the role of women in Islamic society as a whole.
Pretty much all the Moroccans we have had dealings with during our time here, have been friendly, courteous and eager to make contact and help us in a way they can...though sometimes with varying results. They also seem to be a relaxed and modest kind of people. But the vast majority of the people you meet as tourist are men. One can't help feeling that one has entered a man's world coming to Morocco.

It's not that you don't see any women here, its just that they play such a small part in the public arena. The ordinary cafes are only full of men with the very odd exception, the hotel accomodation is pretty much run by men, most of the salespeople in shops and stall-holders are men. I was even shown into the changing-room in Zara in Marrakech by a very helpful man! And Moroccan women definitely don't go walking in the mountains, so the only women we saw there were other foreigners. It appears that to a large extent the woman's place is still very much in the home.

Modesty is the key word when it comes to dress code. Many Moroccans (both men and women) wear some form of the jellaba, an ankle length robe with a pointy hood. They come in all colours of the rainbow, from very simple plain white cotton or black to brightly coloured patterned jellabas in slinky silk materials. A large majority of women also wear some form of hijab, head covering, often in exotic colours or sparkly material to match their slippers/shoes. Only a tiny minority actually cover their faces. Some young women wear western style dress, and may for example wear a fashionable strappy top or tunic over a long-sleeved top. A few even wear short-sleeved tops, but I can count on one hand the number of women I've seen showing bare legs, even just a little bit of flesh. They keep their bodies covered even on the beach. In Casablanca we saw young women sitting or paddling in the sea fully clothed while their male friends and relations swam and frolic in the waves.

The thing is that the vast majority don't look unhappy with their lot, and though things are changing, particularly for women in wealthier families it will take time before rural areas catch up. It was quite normal for girls in rural areas such as the Atlas mountains to only complete primary education until relatively recently, but up and coming generations won't accept that.

As a westernized woman you inevitably attract attention, particularly if you get a bit off the beaten tourist track. You can't help but feel uncomfortable being the only woman in a cafe or having looks directed at your bare calves (despite wearing more clothes than normal in hot weather). It means that you end up going into places where there are other tourists. Walking around on your own in places where there aren't other tourists can also excite unpleasant attention as I discovered, rather a limiting factor. However, it makes one very aware of the freedoms one otherwise takes very for granted.

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