Morocco ranks 102nd globally in women’s representation in legislative work

Morocco ranked 102nd globally in terms of the integration of women in legislative work, with 95 female members of parliament, who make up 24.3% of the total seats in the House of Representatives.

This ranking was part of the latest update to the statistical data from the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), which is regularly updated based on the results of legislative elections held periodically in each country.

Morocco achieved this position based on the results of the September 8, 2021 elections, which saw a notable increase in the number of female MPs, rising from just 81 female parliamentarians in the 10th legislative term (2016–2021).

The ranking, which covers 183 countries worldwide, relies on data provided by first parliamentary chambers or similar institutions whose members are directly elected. Countries are ranked according to the proportion of women in these institutions compared to men.

Rwanda once again took the top spot globally for women’s representation in parliamentary work, with 63.8% women, based on the July 2024 elections. Cuba ranked second with 55.7%, followed by Nicaragua in third with 55%.

Andorra made its first appearance among European countries, ranking fifth, followed by Iceland in ninth place with 46% women in parliament, and Monaco and Finland in the tenth and eleventh positions, respectively.

Several African countries also ranked highly, including Cape Verde, South Africa, Ethiopia, Senegal, Namibia, and Mozambique, with the percentage of women in their elected legislative bodies exceeding 38%.

Among other European countries, France ranked 42nd with 208 female MPs out of 508 members. Austria, Albania, Germany, Luxembourg, and Portugal followed. The United States ranked 77th globally with a women’s integration rate of 28.9%.

Despite ranking 102nd, Morocco still surpasses other countries in terms of the percentage of women directly elected to legislative positions, outranking countries like Turkey, Slovakia, Mauritania, Azerbaijan, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan.

Algeria, on the other hand, ranked in the bottom quarter of the list, at 172nd place, with a women’s integration rate of only 7.9%, reflecting the overwhelming male dominance in the Algerian parliament.

The number of women in Morocco’s House of Representatives remained modest for many decades after the country gained independence, before starting to show a significant rise in 1993. Women’s representation in the parliament further benefited from the changes introduced by the 2011 constitution, which helped increase the number of elected female MPs in the first three legislative elections held under the new constitutional framework.