MOROCCO

At least 1,000 cases of violence in schools were recorded in 2009, according to the Centre for People’s Rights. Four hundred cases were physical violence, 350 psychological violence and 126 sexual violence. The physical violence mostly consisted of corporal punishment, including slapping, kicking and hitting with sticks, iron rulers and electrical cables.

(Reported in Algeria News, 8 October 2010, http://news.marweb.com/algeria)

According to a report by the Moroccan Ministry of Justice, widespread violence against children is reported in government run orphanages and care institutions, with physical punishment being the most practiced disciplinary measure.

(Cited in Abdul-Hamid, Y., 2011, Child Rights Situation Analysis: Middle East and North Africa, Save the Children Sweden)

According to UN statistics, in 2003-2004 significant proportions of women believed that a husband is justified in hitting or beating his wife for specific reasons: 24% for burning the food, 51% for arguing with him, 50% for going out without telling him, 49% for neglecting the children and 43% for refusing to have sex.

(United Nations, 2010, The World’s Women 2010: Trends and Statistics, New York: Department of Economic and Social Affairs)

A Multiple Indicators Cluster Survey (MICS) commissioned by UNICEF, UNFPA and the Arab Family Health Project in 2008, revealed the magnitude of corporal punishment of children in Morocco. In interviews with 5,078 children, 24% reported experiencing severe physical punishment (including being hit on the face or the head with a hard object), 67% minor physical punishment (e.g. being shaken, or slapped). Children are more likely to be physically punished in rural zones (30%) than in urban zones (20%); educated mothers are less likely to use corporal punishment than uneducated mothers; and wealthy families are less likely to use corporal punishment (12%) than poorer parents (32%).

(UNICEF, 2008, Enquête Nationale à Indicateurs Multiples et Santé des Jeunes, ENIMSJ 2006-2007, Rabat, Maroc: UNICEF)