More than 80,000 women were trained, and 100 drop-in centers were established to benefit women and girls who are victims of violence in all regions of the Kingdom, with a budget of 386 million MAD, said the Ministry of Solidarity, Social Inclusion, and Family in a press release.
According to the Ministry, these are major initiatives aimed at strengthening the social project, improving the situation of women, and promoting female empowerment, aligning with the government program 2021-2026.
In collaboration with regions and provinces, and relying on the components of the social sector, the Ministry has launched its flagship program “GISSR for Empowerment and Leadership,” to establish a national mindset of social incubators for economic empowerment as the main lever to support women and help them break free from the cycle of violence.
The program, which is part of the government’s plan for equality 2023-2026 (PGEIII) in synergy with programs of other ministries, aims to support up to 36,000 beneficiaries in national socioeconomic integration, with an average of 3,000 women per region and a budget of 386 million MAD. Currently, over 83,000 women have enrolled in all regions and are undergoing online training on soft skills and entrepreneurship.
The Ministry went on to say that its efforts to create and support listening, accommodation, and legal guidance centers for women and girls who are victims of violence–thereby providing psychological support on a national, urban, and rural scale–are in line with the Marrakech Declaration 2020 of the National Union of Women of Morocco.
The Ministry is also committed to establishing Multifunctional Spaces for Women (EMF) victims of violence in all regions of the country, concluding 105 partnership agreements with associations charged with managing these facilities, with total funding of 21 million MAD in 2023 and 25 million MAD in 2024 to ensure comprehensive services for women in difficult situations.
Through its Social Sector, the Ministry adopts an integrated approach encompassing all components, including the National Mutual Aid, the Social Development Agency, and the National Institute of Social Work, in developing plans and policies dedicated to economic empowerment, innovation, rights promotion, and combating violence, noted the Ministry.
A participatory approach was adopted, starting with regional consultations in the twelve regions of the Kingdom between December, 2021 and February, 2022, leading to the strategy “GISSR: Green Inclusive Smart Social Regeneration, To Empower People,” which aims to understand the aspirations and expectations of all segments of society, with a particular focus on vulnerable individuals, particularly women in sensitive situations.
This program purports to unleash energies to overcome obstacles hindering women’s development, empowering them to actively participate in socioeconomic development.
The Ministry also undertook several awareness and communication initiatives on promoting women’s rights and combating stereotypes, such as organizing seminars on “the portrayal of women in the media,” “the care economy,” and the importance of establishing a large-scale infrastructure for “early childhood care.”
The Ministry also launched communication and awareness campaigns against violence towards women and girls in schools, workplaces, and public spaces, as well as a broad awareness campaign on digital violence, with a focus on women in rural areas.
The “Tamayuz Prize for Moroccan Women” was widely publicized to encourage female entrepreneurs and professionals to present their projects and initiatives–with a significant increase in registrations in 2023–tallying 753 project candidates, mainly from rural areas–compared to only 65 projects in 2021.