Protests broke out in the capital Rabat and other cities across Morocco on Sunday, February 20 2022, against rising prices of fuel and other essential commodities, which have been driving many into poverty.

Morocco's economy has been hit hard by drought and the coronavirus pandemic, reports The Washington Post. 

The Northern African kingdom is one of the latest countries which sees citizens angered by a surge in global energy prices, which are driving inflation numbers at decades-high levels.

The protests coincided with the 11th anniversary of the wave of protests known as the February 20th movement, a pro-reform and anti-corruption group born out of the Arab Spring uprisings in 2011. 

In addition to demanding a stop to the rise of prices, protesters lamented the lack of progress in advancing gender equality and social justice, and called for the release of political prisoners.

Moroccan women are still underrepresented in public roles and do not get adequate protection under the law; the Moroccan Family Code discriminates against women with regard to inheritance, cases of marital rape, and procedures to obtain divorce. 

The 20th February movement, though marked by the absence of feminist organisations at the time, was seen as a milestone for public recognition of the need for women’s rights in Morocco. 

The demands of the movement are still alive today.