Morocco and WB draw plan to promote women's participation in sustained development

The Moroccan department in charge of social protection, family and childhood and the World Bank have drawn up an action plan to promote the participation of women in sustained development in Morocco

The plan revolves around four axes: fighting illiteracy, increasing girls schooling, improving mother and child health, promoting women's entrepreneurial capacities and political empowerment of women.

The plan, drawing inspiration from Islamic law (Shariaa) and the Moroccan constitution, encompasses short and middle terms actions, scheduled to be completed by 2003

The plan provides for reducing illiteracy that is estimated at 41% among men and 65% among women, increasing girls' access to basic education. According to 1994 statistics, the rate of girls attending basic education stands at 35% in the rural world against 47 % in cities.

Regarding mother and child health, the document deplores that mortality of women after delivery is still very high despite a decrease in 1997, as out of the figure of 322 cases of death among women out of each 100,000 births, went down to 228 cases in 1997.

The document also notes a rise in the use of contraception that reaches 65.8% of women in cities and 50.7% in rural areas.

The level of women's participation in economic activity is also very low, as reflected in their contribution to the Gross National Product. Women also suffer from so-called unemployment rates, as women's work in their house is not considered as a job. The rate of working women was estimated in 1994 at 17.3% against 14.7% in 1982.

The Moroccan government-World Bank plan also lists measures to increase women's participation in political life and decision-making.