Morocco's Minister Naïma Benyahia discusses challenges and prospects for women's political participation

Naïma Benyahia, Minister of Solidarity, Social Inclusion, and Family, addressed the challenges and prospects for women's political participation in Morocco, ahead of the September 23 legislative elections. Speaking at the Lafqui Titouani Foundation in Rabat, Benyahia acknowledged gradual progress but emphasized the need for an objective view, prioritizing social stability and cohesion. She noted that women's representation in Parliament is below one-third, while 22% of government positions are held by women, close to the global average of 23%. The Minister stressed that her focus is on advocating for women's political involvement, not viewing women as an isolated category. She highlighted the importance of men's active engagement, free from rivalry, to foster a collective dynamic where both men and women work together to serve citizens. Benyahia defended the use of quotas as a mechanism for "positive action" to correct structural imbalances and promote equal opportunities, especially given the lack of spontaneous mechanisms within political parties to ensure balanced representation. She also emphasized long-term strategies, including training and support for young generations, particularly young women, and suggested potentially mandating that one-third of local constituencies be led by women in the future. A significant obstacle identified was deeply ingrained stereotypes, which assign political and commercial roles to men and domestic roles to women. Despite advancements in