Moroccan NGOs Submit Memo for Women Empowerment

Casablanca will host next Saturday an information encounter on a memo submitted by 20 Moroccan non-governmental organizations for women political and decision-making empowerment.

The memo comprises draft amendments to the electoral code meant to guarantee women representation in electoral mandates and positions. The signatories deem that a minimum quota of 33% of women candidacies to elections will be recommended, but taking into account women's weak involvement in politics, it could be envisioned that the law sets as an eligibility condition for a list to be accepted to include at least 20% of women. They also propose that this should be supported by financial perks for political parties who would submit 33% of women to elections.

In addition to proposals to reform the voting system in Morocco, the memo also wants to ban the cumulating of offices and the limiting of electoral mandates to two successive ones.

The memo further proposes to adopt a parity system for men and women with the same skills for executive and decision-making positions at recruitment at Moroccan administrations and the creation of an observatory of gender equality and parity to reduce inequalities in women's access to executive positions.

The role of the media in ensuring a better visibility of women, and the role of political parties, trade unions and professional chambers in contributing to guarantee a wider participation in their activities was also underscored by the memo.

The document signed by twenty women, human rights and other non-governmental organizations was developed in collaboration with the United Nations.