HIBAPRESS
A coalition of women's rights organizations, female unionists, and human rights organizations has sent a congratulatory message to Fatima Zahra Mansouri on her appointment as Head of Government, demanding the integration of the women's movement's demands into the government program and public policies for the upcoming term.
The coalition, which includes associations involved in the "For a World of Work Free from Violence and Harassment" initiative, emphasized that the appointment of a woman as Head of Government for the first time in Morocco should, according to the message, be an opportunity to achieve tangible progress in the status of women, promote equality and parity, and combat discrimination.
The signatory bodies noted the persistent gap between constitutional provisions on equality and the reality for women, pointing to their weak representation in decision-making positions. They cited data from the monitoring of the 2026 legislative elections, which showed that the number of local list candidates was 121 out of 1615 lists, representing 7.49 percent.
The message also highlighted the low participation of women in the labor market, their continued presence in the informal and precarious sector, wage disparities, limited access to promotion opportunities and social protection, as well as women experiencing various forms of physical, psychological, economic, and digital violence.
In the same context, the coalition criticized what it considered shortcomings in Law No. 103.13 concerning the fight against violence against women, calling for its review and the strengthening of mechanisms for prevention, protection, victim support, and the prosecution of perpetrators, in addition to integrating an anti-violence perspective into Law No. 03.23 concerning criminal procedure.
The signatories also demanded the completion of the legislative and institutional framework for combating harassment in workplaces, public spaces, and the digital sphere, ensuring prevention, protection, grievance mechanisms, redress, and accountability, as well as the ratification of the International Labour Organization's Convention No. 190 and its accompanying Recommendation No. 206 on eliminating violence and harassment in the world of work.
The coalition called for the activation of the principle of parity and the swift establishment of the Parity and Anti-Discrimination Body stipulated in the constitution, providing it with the necessary powers and resources, and ensuring fair representation of women in decision-making positions.
The demands also included the adoption of policies for the economic and social empowerment of women, ensuring equal pay for work of equal value, and improving the conditions of women working in the informal economy, in addition to making the reform of the Family Code a priority of government action, in accordance with the message, with the principle of equality, the 2011 constitution, and Morocco's international commitments.
The coalition demanded the establishment of a permanent framework for consultation with the women's movement, unions, and civil society, defining measurable and trackable objectives, deadlines, and indicators for the implementation of governmental commitments related to women's rights and equality.
