INTRODUCTION
‘’According to the UN gender inequality index, Morocco ranked 113th out of 155 countries, below other MENAP countries such as Tunisia (48), Algeria (85) and Jordan (102)’’ as starts a report made by the IMF earlier this year that specifically addresses the gender inequality in Morocco and the urgency to undertake action regarding the matter (IMF 2017, 3). Morocco is a country in northern Africa, part of the MENAP region , and seems to have been undergoing a slowing economy over the past five years, with limited job opportunities (22 percent of youth unemployment), and fewer women in the workplace as compared to men (25 percent of participation rate compared to over 66 percent) (IMF, 2017). Gender inequality seems to have been
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More specifically, gender inequality in education and employment reduce economic growth (Klasen 2003, 3). This explicitly came forward when assessing Morocco’s economy in the earlier mentioned IMF report, looking at the relationship between gender inequality and growth, and found that better integration of women into the economy could substantially positively influence the country’s growth: if there were as many women working as men currently are in Morocco, income per capita would increase by 150 percent (IMF 2017). Regarding Morocco in this context, it seems to be the case that indeed, inequality – in this case gender inequality- does indeed hinder the country’s (economic) growth. In relation to globalisation and its processes that result in a more integrated world, gender equality takes significant costs. A main aspect of globalisation is international trade, which generally, increases welfare (Beugelsdijk et al. 2013, 409). However, subsequently, it can decrease a country’s capacities to compete internationally – especially those countries with potential in export goods and services that require high female employment (Worldbank 2012, 254). Moreover, the global awareness of women’s rights, gender inequality, and the relevance of gender equality …show more content…
Expanding policies in terms of improving access and quality of education for women, by means of literacy programmes, vocational training programmes, and financing access to education where needed could potentially tackle the issue with results on the short term and long term. Nonetheless, it is relevant to address underlying social structures of the country as well that still allow for gender bias and discrimination against women to occur, which limit them in their social, economic, and political