Agenzia Giornalistica
direttore Paolo Pagliaro

The first women's web radio: Soleterre in Morocco

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The first women's web radio: Soleterre in Morocco

(17 May 2017) To this day in Morocco, pregnancy outside of marriage is a violation of cultural, social, and religious norms. Mothers are excluded from their families and society. The legal context hampers mothers: Law 490 of the Moroccan Penal Code condemns every extramarital sexual relationship with a sentence ranging from one month to one year of imprisonment. In light of this reality, the "Soleterre - Strategies of Peace" Foundation, a secular and independent humanitarian organisation whose mission is to guarantee the inviolable rights of individuals in the "terre sole" ("lonely lands/ sunny lands", author), has been carrying on for some time the "battles" to defend women and their rights. The latest project will be presented tomorrow, Thursday, May 18. Soleterre has, in fact, organised a conference at 10am at the Hotel Rabat in Morocco to communicate to reporters, institutions, and other supporting social organisations about the emergency of a web radio managed by unmarried mothers. The initiative is an integral part of "Mères En Ligne" (Mothers Online) - an active project since 2015 about defending and supporting unmarried mothers. The first broadcast, in Arabic, will be available on the same day at 15:00 (Italian time) at: www.radiomeresenligne.ma. Classified as Zania (prostitute), the unmarried woman remains alone for the rest of her life and is also discriminated against in the workplace. Not having an income or a home, 36% of these mothers who are under the age of 25, in some cases, are forced to abandon their child. "It is now a learned fact that one of the fundamental pathways for the social and affective development of every child is the quality of the relationship with one's mother from the very first days for a natural attachment process" according to Damiano Rizzi, President of Soleterre. "We can not accept this state of affairs and we must act to protect the rights of these mothers and their children and, first of all, for them to live together. " The main purpose of the web radio is to represent a tool to protect the rights of these mothers by raising public awareness of their discrimination and helping women, including through testimonies of other women who have also shared the same experience of been repudiated by society. During the opening conference, the "journalist" unmarried mothers will present the new web radio themselves, as well as the programme which will feature 68 hours of weekly broadcasts, and the path that got them to social journalism. The web radio recording studio is situated in Tangier, at the "100% Mamans" Association's headquarters. "The creation of this Web Radio is a source of great satisfaction for us from Soleterre" says Virginia Cobelli, Head of Soleterre Institutional Communication, who will be present in Morocco on the day of the conference. "Public and institutional awareness and information on advocating rights and non-discrimination has always been at the centre of our mission and activities in Italy and in the countries where we operate. To that extent, an integral part of our work is promoting the necessary cultural and legislative changes that can lead to the real affirmation of social justice and the recognition of everyone's human, social, and civil rights".


SOLETERRE


Soleterre develops projects and activities for vulnerable people in the health, psycho-social, educational, and work-related areas. Soleterre's projects mostly focuses on child-rearing with specific activities aimed at preventing violence and exploitation against women for their social inclusion. Soleterre in Italy has contributed to the creation of the "Tiziana Vive" network, consisting of 11 associations working daily to prevent violence against women and their children.

(© 9Colonne - citare la fonte)