Moroccans march for women's rights from two different perspectives

Two marches for women's rights were held on Sunday in Rabat and Casablanca, the Rabat rally being sponsored by political parties participating in the government's coalition and other women associations and the Casablanca march by Islamic political parties and an association militating against the government's "plan for the integration of women in the development process."

There was no exact estimation of the number of participants, but both sides claimed they succeeded in rallying one million persons each while more objective estimates said a maximum of 200,000 persons participated in each of the two movements.

The march held in Casablanca by the organization for the protection of families, recently set up after the government's project for the integration of women in development was unveiled in March 99, chanted slogans rejecting the plan as anti-Islamic and alien to Moroccan traditional values.

Participants in the Rabat rally, held as part of the 2000 women march, claimed more women's access to education, health and politics and supported the "plan." They wound up the march at a park in Rabat where an artistic event was held.