Report: Women’s Presence in Decision-Making Positions in Public Administration Shows Slow Progress Despite an Upward Trend
A human resources report accompanying the 2026 budget project reveals that women’s representation in decision-making roles within public administration has been gradually increasing over the last decade, although the pace of progress remains slow, and the gap between their proportion in public service and top responsibility positions persists.
According to statistical data, women’s participation is notably evident in the sectors of land planning and housing, accounting for 32% of total appointments in the sector, higher education at 11%, and industry and trade at 8%. Women also have a significant presence in the positions of chief inspectors at 21.8% and directors at 16.6%, while their representation in senior academic roles remains limited, with deans at 7% and university presidents at 6.9%.
The report indicates a gradual increase in women’s representation in high positions, rising from 12% in 2020 to 15.5% in 2025, an increase of 3.5 percentage points over five years. Although this development reflects a positive trend toward equality, it still falls short of achieving constitutional parity.
The land planning and housing sector retains its lead in empowering women, with female appointments rising from 26% to 32% during the same period, reflecting an internal policy focused on promoting female talent and providing opportunities for advancement. Conversely, the higher education sector has remained relatively stable at around 10% to 11%, while the industry and trade sector saw growth from approximately 5% to 8%.
Despite this progress, the report highlights the ongoing gap between the numerical presence of women in public service, which stands at about 35%, and their percentage in decision-making roles, which does not exceed 15.5%. It points to the existence of a “glass ceiling” that limits the access of female talents to the top of the administrative and academic hierarchy.
The report places this data within the framework of a strategic vision aimed at enhancing human capital and modernizing public management, with the goal of solidifying the foundations of a social state through enhanced social dialogue, digitization, simplifying procedures, and embracing artificial intelligence to improve service quality.
However, this dynamic raises questions about the readiness of public services to keep pace with digital transformations, both in terms of qualifying human resources and ensuring spatial justice and the sustainability of financial balances.
In its second section, titled “Appointments to Senior Positions and Responsibilities,” the report provides an accurate digital snapshot of the extent of transformation within the Moroccan administration, noting that the percentage of women appointed to senior positions between 2015 and 2025 reached about 15.5%, equivalent to 220 female appointments out of 1,422 positions.
The report concludes that achieving genuine parity does not rely solely on increasing appointment rates but requires a deep cultural change within the Moroccan administration, based on the principle of equal opportunities and opening clear pathways for promotion and training, emphasizing that parity is not merely a numerical target but a cornerstone for building a modern and transparent administration that reflects the diversity and competencies of Moroccan society.
