DR ‹ › On Monday, the Democratic Association of Moroccan Women (ADFM) issued an open letter to the general secretaries of political parties, urging them to take responsibility for advancing women's participation in politics. This letter, obtained by Yabiladi, comes in the wake of Morocco's 101st global ranking in female representation, as reported by the Inter-Parliamentary Union. The ADFM questions the role political parties have played in empowering women politically, especially 15 years after constitutional reforms and with the legislative elections on September 23 fast approaching. The association criticizes the «persistent gap between political rhetoric supporting gender parity and the stark reality of women's exclusion from decision-making positions, both within political parties and in Parliament». The letter cites official statistics, underscoring that the commitment to gender parity is «far from being achieved». «Women hold only 24.3% of seats in the House of Representatives (95 out of 395 deputies). In the House of Councillors, they account for about 11 to 12%. Moreover, women's membership in political parties is limited to 8 to 9%, despite them constituting more than half of the electorate», the ADFM emphasizes. Elections 2026: Will women's political participation take a new turn? In comparison, female representation in legislative assemblies across Arab states in the region ranges from 31% to 36%. However, in Morocco, «political parties address women's political participation sporadically or seasonally», the ADFM notes, highlighting «the inadequate support given to women's organizations within parties», which adversely affects women's political rights. The NGO also points out the absence of a «clear and decisive stance against the failure to institutionalize parity in the organic law of the House of Representatives, during discussions with the Ministry of the Interior and within Parliament». In response, the ADFM calls for «female candidacies in local legislative constituencies to represent at least 30%», with «clear selection criteria», along with «moral and material support for women's organizations within parties and for female candidates».
