The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) recommended in its latest report on public governance to improve youth governance in Morocco in order to enhance policies and public services catering to the needs of Moroccan youth.
Entitled “Reinforcing Young People’s Autonomy and Confidence in Morocco,” the report highlighted Morocco’s robust legal framework supporting youth issues and identified areas needing enhancement, particularly in local elections and youth engagement in associations.
The report stressed the importance of deepening the application and operationalization of these frameworks across all levels of government, clarifying the governance, composition, roles, and resources of existing participatory mechanisms and youth-focused institutions.
The report commended Morocco’s strategic efforts in youth affairs through sector-specific youth strategies and an integrated national youth policy currently undergoing deployment and awaiting adoption post-government council approval, calling for greater coherence and clarification in governmental approaches in this domain.
OECD recommended establishing an integrated governance framework for youth, comprising an inter-ministerial youth committee modeled after existing sectoral policies. The framework should include a detailed action plan aligned with youth expectations, complemented by institutional communication, and a monitoring and evaluation system to ensure the ongoing relevance of proposed actions.
Addressing institutional challenges, the report highlighted issues such as aging personnel and limited horizontal and vertical coordination within youth-focused institutions. The OECD advocated for modernizing human resource management in youth institutions, enhancing skills training, and mobility opportunities, and fostering stronger coordination between different levels of government.
The organization also stressed the need to bolster technical, financial, and human resources for youth institutions like youth centers and advisory councils, promoting regular exchanges between governmental tiers to strengthen overall institutional capabilities.
The OECD report highlighted the importance of innovative governance tools to align government policies and services with youth needs, analyzing potential impacts on this demographic segment. While acknowledging the increasing presence of such tools in Morocco, such as youth participatory budgeting at the local level, the organization urged systematic utilization to foster budget processes that prioritize youth-focused public expenditures, ensuring accessible information for youth.
It further recommended to include enhancing policymakers’ capabilities to anticipate the demographic, gender-specific, and regional impacts of new laws and regulations. The report also showed the need to improve data collection and accessibility disaggregated by age and gender, utilizing existing data collection and information agencies in Morocco effectively.
Concerning youth participation in public life, the report noted a growing youth engagement in public debates through various informal channels. Recommendations propose safeguarding and promoting civic spaces conducive to young people’s engagement with public institutions.
Innovative measures and incentives were also suggested to reinvigorate youth interest and facilitate their active involvement in political decision-making processes. The OECD encouraged a holistic rethink of youth participation throughout policy cycles, advocating for strategic planning, tailored information dissemination, and reinforced participation mechanisms to evolve dialogue formats towards greater regularity, reciprocity, and innovation.
The OECD stressed the importance of fostering a culture of engagement and participation among young Moroccans from an early age, both within educational settings and beyond. It recommended strengthening civic education and citizenship programs, along with promoting youth involvement in associative activities to instill a lifelong commitment to civic responsibilities.