Moroccan Youth Policies Praised in International Study

A benchmark study on "Best Youth Policies in the World, Focusing on the Arab Region" has recognized Morocco for its distinguished approach to national youth policies. The report highlights significant transformations within the Kingdom, notably the constitutional recognition of youth issues and the launch of the National Integrated Youth Strategy 2015-2030.

The study, conducted by the Trends Research & Advisory center in Abu Dhabi for the Arab Youth Center, emphasizes that Morocco's 2011 constitution marked a crucial turning point. It mandates public authorities to take measures for expanding youth participation in economic, social, cultural, and political development. The constitution also promotes youth integration into active and social life and facilitates their access to culture, science, technology, arts, sports, and recreational activities. Furthermore, it called for the establishment of an advisory council for youth and associative action.

These constitutional advancements paved the way for the National Integrated Youth Strategy 2015-2030. This strategy aims to empower young people and provide a unified framework for various public policies targeting them. The research points to the 2012 National Youth Dialogue, which involved 27,000 young participants, as a key initiative to engage youth as active contributors to development and to formulate a cohesive policy framework.

The strategy primarily targets individuals aged 15 to 29, who constituted about 30 percent of the population in 2015. It also seeks to include marginalized youth groups to foster their social and economic integration. The overarching goals include making qualitative investments in youth, outlining strategic directions for public stakeholders, ensuring coordinated government action, and complementing existing sectoral strategies. The vision is built upon five core pillars: enhancing economic opportunities and employability, improving access to and quality of essential services while reducing geographical disparities, promoting active participation in social and civic life and decision-making, and strengthening institutional mechanisms for communication, evaluation, and governance.

Beyond economic and social aspects, the Moroccan approach also focuses on political engagement. The organic law on political parties requires parties to expand youth participation in the country's political development and to specify the proportion of young members in their governing bodies within their statutes. The study also noted the experience of the National Youth List, which allocated 30 seats to individuals under 40 in the House of Representatives before its abolition in 2021, sparking debate about its continuation.