A recent report from the Inter-Parliamentary Union reveals that Morocco ranks 101st globally in terms of women’s representation in legislative bodies, advancing one spot from last year, among a total of 183 countries.
This ranking reflects that women’s presence in the Moroccan House of Representatives stands at approximately 24.3%, according to the results of the 2021 legislative elections, placing the kingdom in a moderate position on the international stage.
In contrast, Rwanda leads the list with a female representation rate of 63.8%, followed by Nicaragua, Bolivia, Mexico, and the United Arab Emirates, indicating significant disparities among countries in integrating women into their parliaments.
This classification is based on the percentage of women in directly elected parliamentary chambers, without distinguishing between different methods of forming legislative bodies, whether by appointment or direct or indirect voting.
Nationally, women’s associations continue to advocate for increased female presence in parliament, stating that the “quota” system is insufficient to achieve the principle of parity (50%), while urging political parties to offer more opportunities for female candidacies.
Moreover, the same data shows that 28.35% of the members of the House of Representatives are under 45 years old, while the percentage of those aged 30 or younger is just 4.56%, reflecting a limited presence of youth in the legislative institution.
The report also highlights the variation in the average ages of parliamentarians worldwide, with an average of 51.5 years in the Argentine parliament, 47.4 years in Belgium, compared to 43.1 years in the Ecuadorian National Assembly, underscoring the demographic differences among legislative bodies around the globe.
