Morocco’s first female doctor dies aged 84
Hennou Allali Maamar, Morocco’s pioneering first female doctor and lifelong patron of women’s rights, passed away on 3rd January at the age of 84, according to a report in Moroccan government friendly Yabiladi.
During a remarkable career spanning politics, healthcare and education, The Doctor helped young Moroccan women fulfil their dreams through her foundation whilst demonstrating the incredible impacts of lifelong dedication to humanitarian causes.
Inspired by her father, a supporter of the education of both boys and girls, she undertook her secondary education in Rabat in 1961, before attaining a degree in general medicine in France, with a later focus in gynaecology at the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy in Montpellier.
After completing her studies in 1971, she returned to her home country, becoming a member of the central committee of the Party of Progress and Socialism (PPS) and later serving as a member of The National Human Rights Council.
The Doctors awareness for political issues was awakened in her youth, during the 1953 exile of King Mohammed V to Madagascar and his later return, events that signified Morocco’s ongoing struggle with colonial rule. During her time at university, she became involved in The National Union of Moroccan Students.
Outside of her career, The Doctor was also a mother to six children, dedicating herself to community work after and leaving the public sector and becoming a mother, with a focus on reducing school dropout rates for girls.
In 2005, she launched the Illy Foundation, providing schoolgirls aged 7 to 12 with education and social support in the mostly rural Oulmès region, outlining her core belief that health and education are pillars of human development.
In a statement, the PPS praised her competence and commitment to her livelihood, describing her as fulfilling “her humanitarian mission with great devotion, placing the well-being and dignity of citizens at the heart of her work.”
Alongside Mamaar’s work, other projects highlight the improved the position of women in Moroccan society as the country to attempts to modernise. On December 9th, Maghrebi reported that the growing artificial intelligence industry would feature a Women’s AI initiative.
Similarly, the Afghan refugee women’s football team were welcomed into the country on October 26th to take part in a football tournament, after being banished from their home country for opposing Taliban ruling and refusing to disband their team.
Yabiladi, Maghrebi.org
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