The Tahadi Association for Equality and Citizenship (ATEC) has issued a stark warning following the deaths of four female farmworkers in a road accident near Sebt El Guerdane, outside Agadir on May 26.
In a press release Monday, the group condemned what it called systemic neglect of safety standards in transporting agricultural laborers , particularly women, and called for immediate legislative and policy reforms.
The victims were among 18 women crammed into an overloaded pickup truck, a method of transport that ATEC argues is emblematic of widespread, preventable danger faced by female workers in Morocco’s agricultural sector.
The Tahadi Association said “the lack of safety standards, weak oversight by labor inspection bodies, and the limitations of the legislative framework,” are the biggest contributing factor to these accidents.
Mehdi Laimina, Project and Communications Manager at ATEC, told Hespress EN that the association’s core demand is “the establishment of a clear and binding framework for transporting female workers in a way that preserves their human dignity.”
“We had contact with some of the victims,” explains Mehdi Laimina, “which has compelled us to raise urgent warnings, especially after the incident at the end of last week.”
The association hopes the incident will spark constructive dialogue, prompting political actors to enact protective legislation for women in the agricultural sector.
The Tahadi Association also stressed the urgent need for continuous monitoring and intervention for this vulnerable group, declaring that “their dignity and safety are a collective responsibility and must be a top priority for both executive and legislative authorities.”
Further recommendations in the press release call for better psychological support for women and their families, increased community awareness, stronger social dialogue to improve working conditions, and stricter enforcement of transport safety laws.
“We must alert the relevant authorities to this form of violence, which these women face daily,” says Laimina, “Some progress has been made, but many continue to ignore the laws.”
add your comment
Terms of publication : Not to offend the writer, people, sacred things, or attack religions or the divine self, and refrain from racist incitement and insults.