Speech of the Head of Government on the occasion of the opening of the fifth session of the Morocco Today Forum

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, and prayers and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah and his family and companions

Ladies and Gentlemen.
Distinguished Guests,

First of all, I am pleased to open the fifth edition of the "Morocco Today" forum, organized by the " Le Matin" group. I also congratulate you on the selection of "Women as key actors in development in Morocco" as the theme of this session, as it is of great importance to our country.
Since his accession to the throne, His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist him, has led major reforms to advance the status of women, open up prospects for advancement and give them the place they deserve within society, starting with the reform of the Family Code in 2004 and then the constitutional adoption of the principle of parity in the 2011 Constitution.
In this context, we recall His Majesty's call in his Throne Speech on July 30th to revise the Family Code, activate constitutional institutions concerned with family and women's rights, update national mechanisms and legislation to improve their status and involve them in development, and affirm that "building the Morocco of progress and dignity, which we want, will not be achieved without the participation of all Moroccans, men, and women, in the development process."

Here, it must be emphasized that His Majesty's enlightened vision constituted a revolution for women, at the level of presence in the political field, and therefore the government has allocated a set of strategic ministerial portfolios to women, which indicates its political will to ensure the effective participation of women in decision-making. Today, there are six (6) women ministers in important positions in the government, instead of one in 2016. In addition, the representation of women in the House of Representatives has undergone an important change, as Their number increased from 81 women in 2016 to 96 in 2021, making up a quarter of the members of the First Chamber.
Women's economic empowerment is also a priority for the Government to promote gender equality. The National Commission for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, a governmental mechanism for the advancement of women's rights, had been established.

Ladies and Gentlemen,
The Government believes in gender equality, is committed to women's rights, and is aware of its role in achieving development, and therefore continues to implement the directives of His Majesty the King, activate the Kingdom's Constitution of 2011, and translate the rights it approved and the principles and guarantees stipulated therein into reality.
Promote equal opportunities in education and combat school dropouts, especially among girls.
Promote women's economic and social rights and achieve gender equality.
Women's economic empowerment by increasing the percentage of their economic activity by 2026.
In conclusion, and in line with the main theme of this Forum, we affirm that the economic empowerment of women and their involvement in the development process is the best way to promote the progress of our country, and therefore everyone must work to achieve this challenge, as Morocco needs all its energies, men and women, to face the challenges of the new world order and realize our country's aspirations for development.

Peace, mercy, and blessings of God be upon you.