The First Lady of the United States, Jill Biden, and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced the crowning of Moroccan Rabha Al-Haymer with the International Women of Courage Award 2024 in Washington, in the presence of Morocco's Ambassador in Washington, Youssef El Amrani.
Rabha is a Moroccan woman whose story resembles that of many women who have been oppressed by society and the law, suffering injustice simply for being women. While many live resigned, oppressed, and submissive to a narrative of victimhood, Rabha did not surrender. She refused to comply with this reality, protested, rebelled, and believed that rights are seized, not granted. She bravely fought alone against traditional marriage and early marriage, managing to attract global attention this week after winning the 2024 International Women of Courage Award for her patience and insistence on proving her daughter’s lineage, a result of a traditional marriage.
Rabha never had the opportunity to attend school; she was deprived of education, had her childhood violated, and was married off as a minor. Rabha Al-Haymer illustrated courage and dedication with resilience and determination in confronting traditional marriage in Morocco, shedding light on the problems Moroccan women face due to the difficulties in proving their children's lineage, victims of such marriages. She received this award for her struggle for her rights concerning the acknowledgment of lineage, a struggle reflected in a documentary aired on Channel Two on May 2, 2014, in the "Human Stories" program titled "Children of Shame."
Through this documentary, Rabha highlighted the suffering of Moroccan women with child marriages and the ensuing problems that may arise from a husband's refusal to acknowledge the children born from these marriages. Discussing her participation in this award and how she turned her suffering into life lessons that inspire hope and motivation for young girls who are victims of early marriage, Rabha (37 years old), now a mother of a 19-year-old, recounts her journey and struggle over the years to prove her daughter's lineage, having been a victim of a "Fatiha" marriage in 2001 at just 14 years old—a reality that caused her much suffering.
She states, "My marriage was decided by my parents. It was a very difficult phase because I was just a young girl, and we know the challenges of traditional marriage in our society." She adds, "I hope no Moroccan girl has to undergo a similar experience to mine." Rabha speaks about the documentary that narrated her story, considering it a message to Moroccan families that believe in early marriage, illustrating the problems she faced. She explains, "My family did not realize the extent of the issues I would encounter; their intentions were good, but the consequences of this marriage were severe."
Her husband did not acknowledge her daughter's lineage until years of suffering had passed, causing her child to struggle for her rights, including education like any other child her age. However, thanks to the mother's efforts, the girl managed to obtain all her rights and duties and is now continuing her studies in Tangier, speaking three foreign languages. Rabha Al-Haymer believes that this award is an honor for all fighting women seeking to establish their children's lineage and confront child marriage, expressing her gratitude to His Majesty King Mohammed VI, who she believes that the reforms he initiated to empower women through the Family Code of 2004 were a turning point in women's rights in Morocco.
