Kokous: Economic Empowerment of Women Requires Effective Tracking and Evaluation Mechanisms for Policies and Programs
Najwa Kokous, head of the thematic working group on equality and gender parity, affirmed that women’s economic rights and gender equality policies in Morocco have seen significant progress, supported by legislative transformations and the establishment of constitutional institutions focusing on rights, freedoms, and governance. This has resulted in the adoption of a reference legal and regulatory framework aimed at enhancing women’s economic empowerment.
During a debate held yesterday at the House of Representatives concerning supportive policies and legislation for women’s economic empowerment, Kokous emphasized the need for practical mechanisms to track and evaluate policies and programs targeted at women, advocating for precise indicators to measure the social and economic impact to ensure these policies’ effectiveness.
She highlighted that strengthening female entrepreneurship is a fundamental lever for economic empowerment by facilitating women’s access to financing and creating job opportunities, especially in rural areas. Additionally, she called for the integration of a gender perspective in labor market policies, ensuring equal opportunities and ongoing training in digital and technological fields.
For her part, Majda Nwaishi, Vice President of the Arab Women Parliamentarians Coalition to Combat Violence against Women, stated that women’s economic empowerment and protection from discrimination and violence in the workplace have become genuine indicators of a country’s progress and achieving comprehensive, sustainable development. She pointed out that empowerment does not start and end with legal texts, but is realized by transforming political commitment into practical reality.
Shannon O’Connell, Director of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, stressed that economic inclusion enhances women’s participation in decision-making and strengthens governance and accountability. She noted that empowering women economically contributes to a more inclusive community, commending the Moroccan Parliament for enacting legislative policies supportive of women and fostering international partnerships for experience exchange and initiative support.
This debate presents an opportunity to discuss the role of parliaments in reviewing legislation and strengthening oversight and evaluation mechanisms to ensure the protection of women’s rights, linking economic empowerment to combating violence as a lever for enhancing women’s participation in economic and public life.
