"When Morocco issued a new family law in 2004, the reactions were overwhelming. The law was praised as a societal revolution that brought great improvements for Moroccan women, and women's groups celebrated the reform as one of their biggest achievements. There was little doubt that the law marked "a turning point." The 2004 reform was the first time a new family code was issued since Morocco had codified its family law, right after independence, over the course of the years 1957 and 1958. In 1993 a number of amendments were issued to the family code for the first time since the 1950s, but they remained limited in comparison to the 2004 family code. King Muhammad VI had announced the 2004 reform on October 10, 2003, in the presence of French President Jacques Chirac, emphasizing the importance of the project not only for Moroccan women but also for the external relations of the monarchy. The French head of state then gave a speech in front of the Moroccan parliament praising the new gender relations promoted by the code and portrayed the new law as a step towards democratization. When the code was finally issued on February 5, 2004, it had already been translated into multiple languages to be handed out to journalists from around the world who had been invited to cover the event.

The international media were indeed quick to commend Morocco for "boosting women's rights." Overnight, Morocco became the example of family law reform in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region"--.