WUNRN
Morocco - Workplace Gender Gap Widens
Women attend a manicure class at the
nonprofit organization Woman's Solidarity, which helps unmarried mothers
rebuild their lives and overcome social stigma, in Casablanca. (photo by
REUTERS/Youssef Boudlal)
By TelQuel (Morocco) - December 21, 2014
In its second report on gender equality in
the workplace, the Economic, Social and Environmental Council (ESEC) described
the employment situation of Moroccan women as alarming.
In its 2012 report, ESEC made clear
recommendations to the government to fight discrimination against women. In the
NEW REPORT, released on Nov. 27, 2014, ESEC focuses on the realities of female employment and the
"ineffective" laws working against women.
For the second time, ESEC has made recommendations to the government. Telquel
runs through it, in figures.
Less than one in four women are employed
2.74: In millions, the total number of
employed women. Of those who work, 1.03 million are employed in urban areas and
1.71 million work in rural areas.
22.7%: The female employment rate in Morocco
(ratio between the number of people employed and the total number of
individuals), which means that less than one in four women has a job.
26.8%: The percentage of women in a labor
force of 11.3 million people.
30%: The female employment rate exceeds 30%
in agricultural areas, such as Doukkala, Souss-Massa-Draa and Gharb.
130 out of 142 countries: Morocco’s rank
worldwide, in terms of the wage gap between men and women. The kingdom is
toward the low end of the ranking, below other Arab countries such as Qatar,
Kuwait and Tunisia.
Women: Victims of illegal practices
73.2%: The percentage of rural women under the age
of 15 who are employed. ESEC considered this type of employment to be a
"form of outright exploitation of children of school age, which must be
denounced." Moreover, underage labor is a violation of children's rights,
as it denies “girls the right to access to education and training.”
78.9%: The percentage of women working in the
textile sector who have not been eligible for paid maternity leave.
87.5%: The percentage of women working
without a written contract in rural areas. This figure drops to 54.2% in urban
areas. Such women are "working without a written contract and therefore
they are not covered by the labor law.” It should also be noted that text
regulating employment and working conditions of domestic workers has not been
adopted yet.
Women: Excluded from decision-making posts
0.1%: The percentage of women holding
decision-making positions in private companies in the trade, industry and
services fields.
0.38%: The percentage of female union
representatives.
6%: The percentage of women occupying the
post of "secretary general" in public services, and 11% of women are
directors.
7%: The percentage of women administrators in
the country’s largest public companies. Women represent 11% of directors in
listed companies.
12%: The percentage of management posts
occupied by women.
50%: Women are absent from governance bodies
in more than half of listed companies in Morocco.
ESEC recommendations
To counteract the problems that hinder gender
equality in the workplace, the ESEC report included four recommendations to the
government.
The council suggests that the government
"acquire efficient instruments and consistent indicators … that allow an
understanding of the effectiveness of gender equality in the economic sector as
a tool for reducing inequality." This is a measure that falls in line with
the "definition of indicators produced by the various agencies (in
particular the Higher Planning Commission), and the Convention on the Rights of
the Child and ILO [International Labour Organization] standards.”
This means that, among other things, Morocco
should adopt a law enshrining 15 as the minimum age for employment. The
recommendations call for the category of "housewife," which
normalizes the sexist representation of women, to be replaced by the following
two categories: "Adult persons running a household " and "school
children." The council, headed by Nizar Baraka, recommends the
establishment of a national employment observatory that issues regular reports
on women’s participation in economic activities and the discrimination they
face.
ESEC also recommends the establishment of a
"favorable environment for economic equality between women and men and a
balance between work and family responsibilities.” The measure would involve
ratifying the ILO Workers with Family Responsibilities Convention and
implementing it in accordance with the Family Code that establishes the joint
responsibility of both parents within a family. The council also suggests the
establishment of "information, training and awareness campaigns [focusing]
on the prevention of discrimination in administrations and businesses."
The council also mentions facilitating access
to employment for women. The measures accompanying this suggestion include the
adoption of "incentives and granting the right … to tax benefits for
private companies that establish [gender] parity in their various bodies."
To promote female access to employment, ESEC also calls for the promotion of a
"skills training and for girls to access all courses offered in the
male-dominated industries.”
Finally, Baraka’s organization urges the
promotion and support of women's entrepreneurship through the development of
support mechanisms for female entrepreneurs in different parts of the kingdom.
ESEC also recommends that the government encourage "the access of
women's enterprises to tenders in public and private sectors, to ensure male
and female businesses equal access to markets."