Morocco's High Authority for Audiovisual Communication (HACA) has released an awareness video promoting fair and ethical representation of women in the media, both as protagonists and as subjects of coverage. During a workshop targeting media professionals, the organization presented data highlighting persistent disparities. On Tuesday, April 29, the High Authority for Audiovisual Communication (HACA) launched a new awareness capsule titled «Representation of Women in the Media in Morocco : Challenges of Citizen Equality and Democratic Inclusion». Unveiled during a workshop attended by media professionals, the video highlights the social, cultural, and democratic challenges of achieving fair representation of women in the media. HACA noted that the initiative was the result of contributions from members of the Higher Council for Audiovisual Communication (CSCA), the regulatory body, the Chairperson of the Thematic Working Group on Equality and Parity within the House of Representatives, as well as representatives from the National Human Rights Council (CNDH), the Ministry of Solidarity, Social Integration and Family, journalists, editorial directors of public and private radio and TV stations, civil society members, and digital media specialists. The workshop also served as a space for collective reflection on the persistent underrepresentation and misrepresentation of women in the media. Participants identified key challenges and proposed actionable solutions and best practices to promote balanced, inclusive, and high-quality content that reflects the diversity of Moroccan society. Underrepresentation and stereotypes go hand in hand Speakers stressed the importance of ethical and equitable media portrayals of women to shift public perceptions, challenge social norms, and support major reforms such as the ongoing overhaul of Morocco's Family Code. HACA reiterated that access to fair, inclusive information is a cornerstone of any functioning democracy. Drawing on data from HACA's participation in the Global Media Monitoring Project (GMMP), HACA president Latifa Akharbach presented insights into how women are depicted in audiovisual media and press photography. Not only are women underrepresented, she noted, but when they do appear, they are often shown through a narrow lens—reduced to stereotypical roles, portrayed as subordinate, or depicted in a degrading manner. According to Akharbach, such patterns are particularly visible during election periods, where media coverage tends to reinforce existing norms. One study cited during the workshop, conducted jointly by HACA and GMMP in 2020, revealed that if current trends continue, women will not achieve equal visibility in the news until 2087. Political coverage still sidelines women Globally and nationally, the representation of women as subjects or sources of news remains extremely limited. In Morocco, women made up just 21% of subjects on television in 2015, rising only slightly to 22% by 2020. Globally, the figures were 24% and 26%, respectively. Radio saw a decline: from 16% in 2015 to just 13% in 2020, while the global rate rose to 23%. Print media in Morocco also regressed, with women representing 23% of subjects in 2015 compared to only 16% five years later. In 2015, women were virtually absent from Moroccan news websites, though they accounted for 25% globally. By 2020, that number had improved slightly to 18% in Morocco and 28% internationally. Despite slightly better representation on television, women remain severely underrepresented across all media platforms—especially in radio. In her speech, Akharbach emphasized the lack of female representation in political and government-related news, the most prominent content category in 2020. Although political news made up 30% of overall coverage, women accounted for only 6% of it. To help shift this dynamic, HACA's awareness capsule will be disseminated primarily via social media. The campaign is part of the authority's broader effort to promote media regulation grounded in human rights and to reflect the evolving values of Moroccan society.
