Empowering women: Naïma Ben Yahia leads high-level meeting at the UN

Naïma Ben Yahia, Morocco's Minister of Solidarity, Social Inclusion, and Family, chaired a high-level event in New York focused on women's economic empowerment and their role in socio-economic development. The meeting, organized in collaboration with Saudi Arabia and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), was held as part of the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69), taking place from March 10 to 21 at the UN headquarters.

The event highlighted Morocco’s pioneering efforts in advancing women's economic empowerment while drawing insights from countries such as Senegal—this year’s guest of honor—and Saudi Arabia. Discussions centered on the contributions of women to socio-economic progress and explored strategies to overcome challenges in this domain.

During her address, Ben Yahia emphasized Morocco’s commitment to gender equality and women's empowerment, which has been reinforced over the past two decades through legislative, political, and social reforms. She credited King Mohammed VI for championing women's rights since his ascension to the throne. The 2011 Constitution further cemented gender equality, ensuring that all citizens enjoy equal civil, political, economic, cultural, and environmental rights.

She also highlighted the government's efforts to mobilize resources for social protection, particularly benefiting vulnerable populations. These initiatives have played a crucial role in fostering women’s economic autonomy. Among them is the Empowerment and Leadership Program, which facilitates women's access to the job market and enhances their entrepreneurial skills. Additionally, the National Initiative for Human Development (INDH) has significantly contributed to women's empowerment by supporting income-generating activities, vocational training, and literacy programs.

Morocco remains committed to collaborating with stakeholders to further strengthen women's empowerment and socio-economic contributions. Ben Yahia underscored the importance of partnerships and knowledge exchange in achieving this goal.

In a pre-recorded message, Mireille Sander, a representative of UNFPA, commended Morocco’s efforts in promoting women's socio-economic inclusion and combating precarious conditions. She reaffirmed the UN’s support for Morocco’s initiatives in gender equality and economic empowerment. Likewise, Cynthia Samuel-Olonjuwon from the International Labour Organization (ILO) recognized Morocco’s progress in advancing decent work for women and expressed the organization’s willingness to continue working with the country.

Latifa Cherif, who led the Moroccan parliamentary delegation, highlighted the legislative body's commitment to implementing constitutional and international provisions on gender equality. She referenced the establishment of thematic working groups in the Moroccan Parliament, focusing on gender parity and monitoring the implementation of Law No. 113.13 on violence against women.

The Moroccan Parliament actively contributes to women’s economic empowerment through legislative initiatives, governmental oversight, and policy evaluation. The event, moderated by Amina Oufroukhi, Vice President of the National Union of Moroccan Women, also featured key international participants, including Senegalese Minister of Family and Solidarity Maimouna Dieye and Al Jawhara Bint Fahd Al Saud, a member of Saudi Arabia’s Consultative Assembly.

As head of Morocco’s delegation at CSW69, Ben Yahia engaged in various high-level discussions, including a ministerial roundtable on accelerating women’s empowerment through social protection. She also participated in an event analyzing achievements and challenges related to women's rights in the Arab region.

On the sidelines of the conference, the minister held bilateral meetings with UN officials, including Nahla Haydar, Chair of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). She also met with key figures such as British Minister for Equality Seema Malhotra, Hungarian Secretary of State for Family Affairs Zsófia Koné, and Saudi Arabia’s Secretary General of the Council for Family Affairs Memona Khalil Al Khalil.