Campaign drives women's political participation in Morocco ahead of elections

Monday 30 March 2026 - 10:20

By: Dakir Madiha

Campaign drives women's political participation in Morocco ahead of elections

A new national campaign in Morocco seeks to double women's presence in decision-making bodies by 2028. Named "Femmes au pouvoir: ton vote, ta voix," the effort launched with support from feminist associations and the Ministry of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform. Women hold just 21 percent of parliamentary seats, per February data from the High Commission for Planning. The push aligns with 2011 constitutional reforms that mandated parity on electoral lists, though sociocultural barriers limit results.

Recent regional events underscore the campaign's timing. Morocco's 2021 communal elections elected only 15 percent women to municipal councils. France's 2023 parity law raised women to 39 percent in the National Assembly. Tunisia's "Elles décident" initiative lifted female participation by 12 percent in 2024. Morocco's campaign uses workshops in rural areas like the Rif and viral efforts on TikTok and Instagram.

The program addresses cultural, economic, and logistical hurdles. Surveys by the National Union of Moroccan Women show 62 percent of potential candidates lack funding, especially in Casablanca and Rabat suburbs. A crowdfunding platform has raised 2.5 million dirhams from the Moroccan diaspora in Europe. Amina El Khadiri, a 38-year-old activist from Kenitra, overcame family resistance to run locally.

Digital tools target Morocco's 28 million internet users, per the National Agency for Telecommunications Regulation's 2026 report. Influencers from Walaw Press share short videos on electoral rights. Weekly live sessions through October have drawn 150,000 views, focusing on women aged 18 to 35, who vote at 58 percent versus 72 percent for men, according to a January ISSP study.

Training forms the core. Over 500 women attended sessions on public speaking and crisis management led by former MP Fatema El Bouhali. Programs in Marrakech and Fes feature parliamentary debate simulations. In Tangier, 25 candidates from the campaign filed parity lists for local elections, a regional record.

Partnerships with firms like OCP Group provide scholarships for candidates. UN Women data links high female political participation to 0.5 percent annual GDP growth. With female youth unemployment at 32 percent, per the High Commission for Planning, such leadership could spur education and job reforms.

Organizers plan a national caravan across 12 regions starting in April, with public forums. The fevima.ma platform accepts registrations until June 30. The effort positions Morocco as a North African model for political parity.