Economic Participation of Women in Morocco Declines Despite Educational Advancements
In Morocco, despite significant progress in educational attainment among women, their participation in the economic sphere remains disappointingly low. Recent data indicates that only 19% of women were active in the labor market as of 2025, in stark contrast to 68.5% of men. The unemployment rate for women stands at a concerning 20.5%, compared to just 10.8% for their male counterparts. These statistics underscore the challenges in translating educational achievements into stable, well-paying job opportunities for women.
The disparities in economic participation extend beyond mere numbers; they also reflect the nature of available employment, wage levels, healthcare coverage, and the ability to start and grow businesses. Additionally, obstacles related to childcare, transportation, familial responsibilities, and entrenched social norms further compound the difficulties women face in the workforce. This situation highlights a significant gap between the qualifications women acquire through education and their ability to integrate into, and sustain themselves within, the economic landscape.
The report reveals a notable increase in the educational levels of girls over recent decades, thanks in large part to successive reforms in the educational system, including the 2022-2026 roadmap for national education reform. These reforms have played a crucial role in narrowing the gender gap at various educational stages, with female enrollment now nearing 48% in preschool and primary education. Furthermore, female representation exceeds 50% in secondary education, reaching 56.1% in higher education for the 2024-2025 academic year, compared to 51.6% in 2020-2021.
Educational Progress and Economic Disparities
Despite these advancements in education, there has not been a corresponding improvement in women's economic participation. The report indicates that the gap between the educational gains achieved by women and their level of participation in the labor market remains wide. The rising qualifications have not translated into job opportunities that match the available skills. For example, women's labor force participation has decreased from 30.4% in 1999 to just 19% in 2025, a decline of 11.4 percentage points. In comparison, men's participation has dropped from 79.3% to 68.5%, maintaining a gender gap of around 50 percentage points.
Moreover, the report emphasizes that the lack of economic participation is not limited to women with lower educational qualifications; it also affects those with higher degrees. The activity rate for women with advanced degrees was 45.4% in 2025, down from 60.9% in 2000. Similarly, the participation rate for women without qualifications fell from 26.8% to 14.4%, while those with intermediate certificates decreased from 23.1% to 12.8% during the same period.
As reported by alarabiya.net.
