Probability of women professional inactivity in Morocco reaches 73%

The High Commission for Planning (HCP) has conducted an intersectional study on women’s participation in the Moroccan labor market. The study revealed that the probability of inactivity of women in Morocco has reached 73%, much higher than that of men, estimated at 7.5%.

 The study indicates that this disparity is more evident among married women, whose probability of being inactive reaches 81.9% (3.1% among married men), compared to young women aged 25 to 34, with a rate of 79.4% (3.3% for young men).

This study seeks to uncover the various profiles of women who are least likely to engage in the labor market by examining the interplay of individual, social, and contextual challenges they encounter. It also underscores the intricate nature of these obstacles to women’s participation in the Moroccan labor market. 

The results also indicate that women’s and men’s participation in the labor market varies according to their life cycles, highlighting distinct gender-related pathways and challenges.

 For women, the probabilities of inactivity take the pattern of a U-shaped curve; it decreases from 83% for the youngest age group (25-26 years) to 72% at the age of 43-44 before rising again to 77.6%.

 In contrast, men’s likelihood of inactivity rises with age, starting at 5% for the youngest age group (25-26 years) and increasing to 24% for individuals aged 57 to 59.

In addition, education stands out as a key factor influencing women’s inactivity. Variations in probabilities between education levels are more noticeable among women than men. 

People without a diploma have the highest probability of inactivity, with notable differences between men (6.8%) and women (80.8%).

 Nevertheless, with the rise in educational attainment, the likelihood of inactivity notably declines by 42 percentage points for women with a higher education, reducing to 38.6%. 

In contrast, men with lower educational attainment experience a mere 1.7 percentage-point decrease in their probability of inactivity.

 Analyzing the probabilities of inactivity at the regional level underscores the substantial influence of geographic and socio-economic factors on women’s engagement in the labor market. 

Contrary to men, whose probabilities of inactivity do not exceed 8% in all regions, women’s probabilities are much more dispersed.

Women residing in the Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra region exhibit the highest probability of inactivity, reaching 87%. This is closely followed by the Oriental region and Souss-Massa, where the likelihood of inactivity stands at 83% and 82%, respectively.

 In contrast, the regions of Tangier-Tétouan-Al Hoceima, Casablanca-Settat, and Rabat-Salé-Kénitra have the lowest probabilities among the regions, although they are still high, reaching 68%, 70.8%, and 74, 9%, respectively.

 This study seeks to uncover the various profiles of women who are least likely to engage in the labor market by examining the interplay of individual, social, and contextual challenges they encounter. It also underscores the intricate nature of these obstacles to women’s participation in the Moroccan labor market, employing an intersectional gender perspective that integrates quantitative and qualitative research methods.