Challenges and opportunities facing successful women in Morocco

Over a decade since the passage of a revised family status code (mudawana) in Morocco, the literature varies in its assessment of the code's impact on women's rights and opportunities. While some studies point to the formal support for gender equality reflected in the revised code, others note that Moroccan women continue to face challenges in the social and symbolic spheres. Drawing on interviews conducted by the authors with women leaders in Morocco in 2016, this paper investigates the opportunities and obstacles these women have encountered in their personal journeys. The paper explores the extent to which elite background, work sector, religion, and legal codes affect women's ascent to leadership roles and shares the women's own views regarding improving women's status.