Empowering Women Through Land Policy Change: The “Soulaliyate” Movement in Morocco

Abstract

This chapter illustrates how the Soulaliyate movement was able to gain limited official recognition of their right to collective land. We draw mainly on the Advocacy Coalition Framework (ACF) to analyze the process of land policy change. The social movement framework provided additional insights into coalition formation and strategies. Our methodology is based on desk and media reviews, as well as interviews with civil society actors. The analysis supported the ACF’s hypothesis on policy change.

The analysis shows that there was a potentially strong but still nascent Pro-Women Empowerment Advocacy Coalition that supported the Soulaliyate Movement, which benefited from political opportunities provided by political openness, and socioeconomic conditions to advocate for Soulaliyate rights to land, on an equal footing with men. Thanks to collective action and strong backing of the media, this coalition forced the government to issue three ministerial circulars in favor of the Soulaliyate’s right to collective lands. However, male leaders of rural communities-who form the backbone of an Anti-Soulaliyate group of actors—fiercely resisted their implementation on the pretext of contradicting custom norms (urf). This case study also shows the lack of political will to overcome archaic and patriarchal values.

Appendix: List of Interviews

• 1. ‘Nouab’ (Sidi Slimane, Gharb, March, 2016)

• 2. Soulaliyate (Beni-Mellal, October, 2015)

• 3. Soulaliyate (Fkih Bensalah, October, 2015)

• 4. Soulaliyate (Ifrane, phone interview, March, 2016)

• 5. Soulaliyate (Ouarzazate, March 2016)

• 6. Soulali men (Sidi Yahya, Gharb, November, 2015)

• 7. ADFM leaders (Rabat, March, 2015)

• 8. Interview and email exchanges (Fes 2015, April, 2016)

• 9. Governor of the Directorate for Rural Affairs, Ministry of Interior (Rabat, April, 2015)