Women’s rights: the progress of Morocco highlighted in New York

This article was automatically translated from HIBAPRESS, the Arabic version:

Hibapress

The progress made by Morocco in matters of women’s rights has been highlighted during the 69th commission of the condition of the United Nations which is held from March 10 to 21 in New York.

During a parallel event organized Wednesday by Morocco in collaboration with Saudi Arabia and the United Nations Population Fund (FNUAP) on the economic empowerment of women and their contribution to socio-economic development, Karima Mkika, member of the Office of the Economic, Social and Environmental Council (EESC) indicated that Morocco has achieved major advances on the way to consecration of women’s rights.

In particular, it cited the reform of the 2004 family code, the constitutionalization of gender equality, the ratification by Morocco of international conventions relating to women’s rights, in addition to the strengthening of their economic empowerment.

During this meeting chaired by the Minister of Solidarity, Social Integration and the Family, Naïma Ben Yahia, the speaker also mentioned the launch of the family’s revision of the family code in accordance with the high instructions of His Majesty King Mohammed VI.

Mkikika also noted that the EESC, straight from its powers, continues to follow up on women’s conditions in Morocco, to assess the achievements made, as well as the challenges that persist, through annual reports which deal with the economic, social and environmental condition of the kingdom.

She recalled that in 2023 and at the initiative of the Ministry of Solidarity, Social Integration and the Family, the Council gave a citizen opinion on women’s participation in development, through the digital platform “Oucharikou.ma”, noting that this approach, which has experienced a broad participation, is part of the right of the advice approach aimed at involving citizens in collective reflection on the subject of strategic questions and topical.

Referring to the council’s recommendations to promote gender equality and the economic self -employment more, the speaker underlined the need to accelerate the adequacy of national legislation with the provisions of the Constitution and international conventions ratified by Morocco and to meet the conditions to strengthen women’s access to the Labor Market by guaranteeing rights and protection.

It is also a question of setting up a mechanism for prevention and monitoring digital violence and making use of social networks as a platform for awareness and the fight against all forms of violence against women and girls.

Abundant in the same direction, the representative of the High Commission for Planning (HCP), Bahija Nali stressed that Morocco erects the strengthening of the economic inclusion of women at the heart of its strategic choices, noting that the new development model tends to reduce the gap in the rate of activity between men and women.

Morocco aims, through public policies, to raise this rate 45% by 2035, she said, adding that the woman who works contribute 20% to national added value.

The stakeholder also indicated that the employment feminization rate amounts to 29.7% at the national level, adding that in the informal sector, women are increasingly assuming entrepreneurial leadership.

The Minister of Solidarity, Social Integration and the Family led the Moroccan delegation to this world conclave for women, composed in particular of representatives of national institutions, ministerial departments and civil society.

The commission of the Women’s condition is emphasizing this year on the examination of the implementation of the declaration and the action program of Beijing on the advancement of women’s rights adopted in 1995.