Rabat- During a Government Council meeting, Head of Government Saad Eddine El Othmani reviewed the “Ikram 2” 2017-2021 plan for combating violence against women and ensuring equality between men and women on economic, social, and political levels.
El Othmani enhanced the importance of the government’s equality initiative, “Ikram,” calling for all concerned entities to accelerate its application, stressing that it is not only the government’s plan, but a plan that concerns the Moroccan nation as a whole.
The head of government also recalled that the Ikram 2 initiative strives to see women as decision-makers, abiding by the 2011 constitution’s instructions stressing on equality between genders and integration of women in different fields.
El Othmani invited everyone to be vigilant towards “caring for women in all parts of their lives, especially for [their] education, health, and social integration.”
The meeting was devoted to passing the final text of the Ikram 2 plan which follows the “Ikram 1” 2012-2016 plan.
The Ikram 1 plan was dedicated to monitoring the National Observatory on Violence against Women, a national campaign against domestic violence, in addition to the National Observatory for Improvement of Women’s Image in the Moroccan media.
Despite the government’s efforts to improve women’s situation in society, such as enacting a new law against harassment, gender-based discrimination, and violence, there is yet more action to be done.
According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the African Union’s Department of Economic Affairs, Morocco’s commendable socio-political reforms are still tainted by “alarming social inequalities” which include gender inequality.
“Bosting female entrepreneurship, investing in innovative start-ups, and ensuring linkages between formal training and labor market’s demands,” is what OECD considers the first step needed to promote equality in the kingdom.
