Women’s Employment and Gender-Responsive Budgeting at the Heart of Moroccan-French Discussions in Rabat
The Minister of Economy and Finance, Nadia Fettah, met today in Rabat with French Minister Delegate for Gender Equality and the Fight Against Discrimination, Aurélie Bergé, to discuss shared challenges related to women’s employment, economic integration, and gender-responsive budgeting.
Both sides examined ways to overcome barriers preventing women from accessing the labor market, emphasizing the importance of supporting innovative models such as social economy and women’s cooperatives, which serve as effective tools for reducing disparities and promoting equitable development.
Nadia Fettah stated that integrating women into the economic cycle is a strategic priority for Morocco, particularly in light of concerning unemployment rates among certain demographics. She highlighted the vulnerability of women’s job positions to economic shocks and crises, underscoring the need to activate mechanisms that support women’s economic empowerment in a comprehensive and sustainable manner.
She also highlighted the vital role of women’s cooperatives in enhancing women’s financial independence and creating genuine economic opportunities within vulnerable regions. At the same time, she stressed the ongoing efforts required in the realm of gender-responsive budgeting and called on all stakeholders to adopt a results-oriented approach that is measurable and assessable.
For her part, Aurélie Bergé emphasized the necessity of addressing disparities in access to the labor market, starting with combating stereotypes linked to training choices and career paths, reconsidering role-sharing within the household, and creating an inclusive and motivating work environment.
She argued that achieving equality requires collective engagement that goes beyond government policies to include the entrepreneurial ecosystem and civil society, calling for broader experience sharing on gender issues, particularly concerning the social impact assessment of public policies against the backdrop of economic and social sovereignty challenges.
These discussions are part of a three-day working visit by the French minister to Morocco, featuring several stops aimed at enhancing bilateral cooperation and strengthening strategic partnerships across various fields including economy, equality, and social development.
