Facts and Figures - Maghreb

Political Participation

In the three Maghreb countries, women’s representation in the Parliament and local government has improved, thanks to electoral quotas. In Morocco, women hold 13% of ministerial portfolios, 20% of the seats of the lower Chamber of the Parliament, and 11.7% of the seats of the upper Chamber[1].  In Algeria, women hold 13.3% of ministerial portfolios, 31.6% of the seats of the lower Chamber of the Parliament and 7% of the seats of the upper Chamber[2].  In Tunisia, women hold 31.3% of the seats in the Parliament and 23.1% of ministerial portfolios[3].

Economic empowerment

Women’s labour force participation rates in the three countries are among the lowest in the world, standing at 25.5% in Morocco (against 74.4% for men), 16.9% in Algeria (against 70.6% for men), and 25.1% in Tunisia (against 71.3% for men)[4], due to the lack of equal access to education and training. 42% of women are illiterate in Morocco, 33% in Algeria, and 28% in Tunisia.[5] Women farmers own only 2.5% of utilized agricultural land in Morocco, and 4% of agricultural lands in Tunisia[6].  

Ending Violence Against Women (EVAW)

Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) prevalence rate remains far above the global average of 33%. In Morocco, 62.8% of women had been subjected to violence of some kind in the twelve months preceding the National Survey on the Prevalence of Violence against Women[7]. This rate stands at 32.9% in Tunisia[8]. In Algeria, 31% of women reported being regularly exposed to threats of physical or emotional violence, and 10% of women living with their husband reported being often or daily subjected to physical violence[9].

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[1] UN Women and International Parliamentary Union (2017). Women in Politics: 2017. Retrieved from: https://www.unwomen.org/fr/news/stories/2015/3/press-release-sluggish-progress-on-women-in-politics-will-hamper-development 

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid.

[4] World Bank (2017). “Labor Force Participation Rate, Male (% of Male Population Ages 15+) (Modeled ILO Estimate)”. Retrieved from: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.TLF.CACT.MA.ZS?year_high_desc=true

[5] World Bank, “Literacy Rate, Adult Female (% of females aged 15 and above)” Retrieved on August 29, 2018 from: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SE.ADT.LITR.FE.ZS?year_high_desc=true

[6] Food and Agriculture Organization (2018). Gender and Land Right Database. Retrieved from: http://www.fao.org/gender-landrights-database/country-profiles/countries-list/general-introduction/en/?country_iso3=MAR

[7] High Commission for Planning (2009). National Survey on the Prevalence of Violence against Women. Retrieved from: https://www.hcp.ma/Enquete-nationale-de-la-prevalence-de-la-violence-a-l-egard-des-femmes_a105.html

[8] National Family and Population Board (2010). National Survey on Violence against Women. Retrieved from: http://www.medcities.org/documents/10192/54940/Enqu%C3%AAte+Nationale+Violence+envers+les+femmes-+Tunisie+2010.pdf

[9] A/HRC/7/6/Add.2