Employment: Shocking Figures on Female Discrimination
12 December 2014
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In its second report on "discrimination against women in economic life", the CESE reveals alarming figures on the situation of Moroccan women in the world of employment. Telquel.ma gives an overview.
Moroccan working women have a hard life. In its second report, which is the result of a self-referral, on equality between men and women in the workplace, the Economic, Social, and Environmental Council (CESE) depicts an alarming situation for Moroccan women in the workforce. While the first report, published in 2012, essentially contained recommendations addressed to the government to combat female discrimination, this new version, adopted on November 27 by the CESE, focuses in particular on the realities of female employment and the "ineffective" laws that handicap them. For the second time, the Council delivers a series of recommendations addressed to the government. Telquel.ma gives an overview. In figures.
Less than one woman in four has a job
2.74: In millions, the number of employed working women. 1.03 million of them work in urban areas, 1.71 million in rural areas.
22.7%: The female employment rate in Morocco (ratio between the number of individuals with a job and the total number of individuals), which means that less than one woman in four has a job.
26.8%: The percentage of women in the active population (which counts 11.3 million people).
30%: The employment rate of women exceeds 30% in agricultural regions such as Doukkala, Souss-Massa-Drâa, or Gharb.
130th out of 142 countries: Morocco's ranking worldwide in terms of the wage gap between men and women. The kingdom is near the bottom of the ranking, behind other Arab countries such as Qatar, Kuwait, and Tunisia.
Women, victims of illegal practices
73.2%: The percentage of rural women involved in early employment (before the age of 15). A form of employment that represents for the CESE a "pure and simple form of exploitation of school-age children that must be denounced." Moreover, early employment violates children's rights because it deprives "girls of their right to access education and training."
78.9%: The percentage of female workers in the textile sector who did not receive paid maternity leave.
87.5%: The percentage of women working without a written contract in rural areas. This rate is 54.2% in urban areas. This means that these people "work without a written contract and are therefore not covered by the Labor Code." Note that the text governing the employment and working conditions of domestic employees has still not been adopted.
Women are excluded from positions of responsibility
0.1%: The percentage of women holding a position of responsibility within private companies in the field of commerce, industry, and services.
0.38%: The percentage of union delegates belonging to the female gender.
6%: The rate of feminization of the position of "general secretary" in the public service. That of the position of director is 11%.
7%: The percentage of women holding the role of directors in the largest public companies. Women represent 11% of the directors of listed companies.
12%: The percentage of management positions held by women.
50%: More than half of listed companies have no women on their governing bodies.
The CESE's recommendations
To remedy the problems hindering equality between men and women in the world of employment, the CESE accompanied its report with four recommendations addressed to the government.
Thus, the Council suggests that the government "equip itself with effective instruments and indicators [...] that make it possible to understand the effectiveness of equality between women and men in economic life as a tool for reducing inequalities." A measure that involves harmonizing the "definition of indicators produced by different organizations (including, in particular, the HCP), notably with the Convention on the Rights of the Child and ILO (International Labour Office) standards."
This means, among other things, that Morocco must adopt the age of 15 as the minimum age for work. It also means that the category of "homemakers," which normalizes a sexist representation, must be replaced by the following two categories: "adult people at home" and "children out of school." The institution headed by Nizar Baraka also advocates the establishment of a National Employment Observatory that will regularly produce reports on women's participation in economic activity and the discrimination they suffer.
The CESE also recommends the establishment of a "favorable framework for economic equality between women and men and for the reconciliation of professional and family responsibilities." A measure that involves ratifying the International Labour Organization's convention on "workers with family responsibilities" and implementing it, in accordance with the spirit of the Family Code, which established the co-responsibility of parents within families." The Council also suggests the implementation of "information, training, and awareness-raising campaigns for administrations and companies on discrimination prevention."
The Council also mentions facilitating access to employment for women. Among the measures accompanying this suggestion is the implementation of "incentive measures and granting the right [...] of tax benefits to inclusive private companies that establish parity in their various bodies." With a view to promoting women's access to employment, the CESE also advocates the promotion of "qualifying training and girls' access to all the fields offered in male-dominated training."
Finally, the institution headed by Nizar Baraka advocates the promotion and support of female entrepreneurship through the development of support mechanisms for women entrepreneurs in different regions of the kingdom. The CESE also recommends that the government encourage "access by female businesses to public and private sector calls for tenders, in order to guarantee equal access to markets for male and female businesses."
Yassine Majdi.
Telquel.ma
Published December 11, 2014.
Posted online December 12, 2014.
Moroccan working women have a hard life. In its second report, which is the result of a self-referral, on equality between men and women in the workplace, the Economic, Social, and Environmental Council (CESE) depicts an alarming situation for Moroccan women in the workforce. While the first report, published in 2012, essentially contained recommendations addressed to the government to combat female discrimination, this new version, adopted on November 27 by the CESE, focuses in particular on the realities of female employment and the "ineffective" laws that handicap them. For the second time, the Council delivers a series of recommendations addressed to the government. Telquel.ma gives an overview. In figures.
Less than one woman in four has a job
2.74: In millions, the number of employed working women. 1.03 million of them work in urban areas, 1.71 million in rural areas.
22.7%: The female employment rate in Morocco (ratio between the number of individuals with a job and the total number of individuals), which means that less than one woman in four has a job.
26.8%: The percentage of women in the active population (which counts 11.3 million people).
30%: The employment rate of women exceeds 30% in agricultural regions such as Doukkala, Souss-Massa-Drâa, or Gharb.
130th out of 142 countries: Morocco's ranking worldwide in terms of the wage gap between men and women. The kingdom is near the bottom of the ranking, behind other Arab countries such as Qatar, Kuwait, and Tunisia.
Women, victims of illegal practices
73.2%: The percentage of rural women involved in early employment (before the age of 15). A form of employment that represents for the CESE a "pure and simple form of exploitation of school-age children that must be denounced." Moreover, early employment violates children's rights because it deprives "girls of their right to access education and training."
78.9%: The percentage of female workers in the textile sector who did not receive paid maternity leave.
87.5%: The percentage of women working without a written contract in rural areas. This rate is 54.2% in urban areas. This means that these people "work without a written contract and are therefore not covered by the Labor Code." Note that the text governing the employment and working conditions of domestic employees has still not been adopted.
Women are excluded from positions of responsibility
0.1%: The percentage of women holding a position of responsibility within private companies in the field of commerce, industry, and services.
0.38%: The percentage of union delegates belonging to the female gender.
6%: The rate of feminization of the position of "general secretary" in the public service. That of the position of director is 11%.
7%: The percentage of women holding the role of directors in the largest public companies. Women represent 11% of the directors of listed companies.
12%: The percentage of management positions held by women.
50%: More than half of listed companies have no women on their governing bodies.
The CESE's recommendations
To remedy the problems hindering equality between men and women in the world of employment, the CESE accompanied its report with four recommendations addressed to the government.
Thus, the Council suggests that the government "equip itself with effective instruments and indicators [...] that make it possible to understand the effectiveness of equality between women and men in economic life as a tool for reducing inequalities." A measure that involves harmonizing the "definition of indicators produced by different organizations (including, in particular, the HCP), notably with the Convention on the Rights of the Child and ILO (International Labour Office) standards."
This means, among other things, that Morocco must adopt the age of 15 as the minimum age for work. It also means that the category of "homemakers," which normalizes a sexist representation, must be replaced by the following two categories: "adult people at home" and "children out of school." The institution headed by Nizar Baraka also advocates the establishment of a National Employment Observatory that will regularly produce reports on women's participation in economic activity and the discrimination they suffer.
The CESE also recommends the establishment of a "favorable framework for economic equality between women and men and for the reconciliation of professional and family responsibilities." A measure that involves ratifying the International Labour Organization's convention on "workers with family responsibilities" and implementing it, in accordance with the spirit of the Family Code, which established the co-responsibility of parents within families." The Council also suggests the implementation of "information, training, and awareness-raising campaigns for administrations and companies on discrimination prevention."
The Council also mentions facilitating access to employment for women. Among the measures accompanying this suggestion is the implementation of "incentive measures and granting the right [...] of tax benefits to inclusive private companies that establish parity in their various bodies." With a view to promoting women's access to employment, the CESE also advocates the promotion of "qualifying training and girls' access to all the fields offered in male-dominated training."
Finally, the institution headed by Nizar Baraka advocates the promotion and support of female entrepreneurship through the development of support mechanisms for women entrepreneurs in different regions of the kingdom. The CESE also recommends that the government encourage "access by female businesses to public and private sector calls for tenders, in order to guarantee equal access to markets for male and female businesses."
Yassine Majdi.
Telquel.ma
Published December 11, 2014.
Posted online December 12, 2014.
