An online campaign calling for a ban on women attending football matches has sparked widespread backlash on social media in Morocco, just weeks ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in December.
The controversy erupted after the launch of provocative hashtags, such as “Keep Your Sister at Home” and “No to Women in the Stands,” on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. The campaigns have re-ignited heated debates about gender equality and women’s rights in the country.
The campaign seems to have coincided with news reports of a young Moroccan woman having been harassed on the street in Tangier, which has fueled tensions around women’s presence in public spaces, focusing on women as the problem instead of sexism and patriarchy that fosters harassing behavior.
The campaign, deemed both mocking and inflammatory, quickly gained traction across various online platforms, stirring a range of responses from the Moroccan public.
Some users decried the movement as inherently discriminatory towards women, while others supported it as a measure aimed at “protecting women from sexual assaults and harassment.”
“I am against women attending the stands for several reasons… Unsuitable Environment: Many times, stadiums become places filled with cursing and insults, creating an environment that is not conducive for women to attend,” a social media user wrote.
Other social media users denounced the campaign, maintaining that attempting to confine women to the domestic sphere is an act of sexism.
“If you’ve noticed, there is a full-fledged campaign these days condemning the confinement of women to ‘the home.’ Let’s call it as it is. All this is part of what…?” one Facebook post read.…” means opposing the confinement of women to the home,
“As usual, we revert to the Middle Ages, where one can marry four women and consider women as ‘burdens.’ Naturally, women are viewed as something to be hidden…!!” the post continued.
Sexual harassment is a chronic issue plaguing Moroccan society. Research suggests that a large majority of young women, approximately 80.6%, have reported being sexually harassed in the streets.