Rabat – The High Authority of Audiovisual Communication in Morocco (HACA) has reported a positive development regarding the representation of women in Moroccan television advertisements.
However, they also noted the persistence of discriminatory representation towards women on several advertising channels, SNRTNews reported.
The observation came during a workshop that the authority hosted at its Rabat headquarters on Tuesday to present the findings of a study titled “The Representation of Women in Audiovisual Advertising.”
The study was based on a multi-year analysis of more than 750 television commercials aired during prime time on public television channels during Ramadan in the years 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023.
Presented by HACA President Latifa Akhrabach, the findings revealed a positive evolution in the representation of women in television advertising.
The main development noted was a drop in the number of advertisements containing stereotypical gender-based images.
Over the span of nine years, the study revealed that the share of advertisements free from stereotypical images increased five-fold, rising from 9% in 2014 to 51% in 2023.
Despite this progress, the study highlights the persistence of gender-based stereotypes in advertising narratives.
It identified several advertisements that portrayed women as being primarily responsible for tasks related to caregiving, child rearing, and household duties.
During the workshop, Akhrabach called for collective action to ensure fair representation of women in the media.
“The discriminatory and stereotypical portrayal of women and men in the media undermines the capacity of societies for development and democratization,” she emphasized, as quoted by SNRTNews.
In addition, she underlined the need to promote fairness, diversity, and equal rights as crucial elements for the success and sustainability of ongoing reforms within the country.
