Latest news with #LMDDH
Morocco World
21 hours ago
- Business
- Morocco World
Moroccan Youth: Between Dreams and Harsh Reality Amid Rising Unemployment
Marrakech – Young Moroccans, representing 34.4% of the population according to the High Commission for Planning (HCP)'s 2024 data, stand at a crossroads despite constituting a potential 'golden demographic opportunity' for the country's development. According to a report by the Moroccan League for Human Rights (LMDDH) published yesterday to mark International Youth Day on August 12, Moroccan youth encounter formidable barriers in employment, political participation, education, health, and social integration. The report, themed around the UN's 'Local Youth Action for Sustainable Development Goals and Beyond 2030,' delivers a comprehensive analysis of the current situation backed by official statistics. Unemployment persists as one of the most critical issues affecting young Moroccans. The report cites that the overall unemployment rate reached 12.8% in the second quarter of 2025, but the figure skyrockets among youth aged 15-24, hitting between 35.8% and 36.7% between February and August. The outlook appears even bleaker for those with higher education degrees, with unemployment rates reaching 19.6% in February and surging to approximately 40% in some regions by July. According to official figures, Morocco requires around 240,000 jobs annually, while nearly 350,000 young people enter the labor market each year. This adds heavy pressure on available opportunities, deepens the supply-demand gap, and calls for structural reforms, effective public policies, and investment in promising sectors to absorb more youth. The report notes that 67% of working youth find themselves trapped in the informal sector, which typically lacks social protection and decent working conditions, heightening their vulnerability. 'This reflects the substantial disconnect between educational outcomes and job market requirements,' states the LMDDH report, urging a review of economic and educational policies to ensure better alignment between skills supply and demand. Political participation among youth remains worryingly scarce despite repeated calls for greater involvement. Analysis of electoral rolls revealed that youth registration plummeted from 30% of the total electorate in 2011 to merely 20% by March 2024. 'There exists an iron dome that permanently and structurally limits youth integration into electoral and democratic life,' the report points out, noting that youth representation in elected institutions has also diminished compared to previous elections. A failing education system leaves youth unprepared The educational system grapples with profound shortcomings that directly impact youth development and prospects. According to the report, school dropout rates, while showing improvement nationally to 4.4% by March, persist at alarming levels in rural areas where 14.2% of those aged 15-17 abandoned their studies in 2024. Classroom overcrowding continues to undermine educational quality, with 12.9% of secondary schools suffering from this issue in August. The report indicates that approximately 15,000 classrooms exceed 41 students, hampering teacher effectiveness and student learning outcomes. Higher education institutions struggle with multiple structural deficiencies, including overcrowding in open-access programs, inadequate infrastructure, and insufficient funding for scientific research. The LMDDH report emphasizes that many university programs fall short of equipping students with the skills and competencies employers seek, widening the divide between educational outcomes and economic needs. Vocational training, while recognized as vital for bridging this gap, demands expanded coverage, diversified specializations, and robust partnerships with the private sector to maintain relevance to evolving job market requirements. Mental health services for youth remain woefully inadequate, with the Minister of Health revealing in April that Morocco has only 319 psychiatrists in the public sector, far below the World Health Organization (WHO)'s recommended minimum of 15.3 psychiatrists per 10,000 people. The report also draws attention to rising suicide rates among young people. While exact statistics remain disputed, with the Ministry of Health acknowledging it lacks precise figures specifically for youth, the report stresses that available data from various sources indicate concerning trends that underscore the urgent need to strengthen mental health services and provide psychological support for young people. Addiction, migration, and crime threaten youth futures Drug abuse among Moroccan youth has reached disturbing proportions. According to the High Commission for Planning, 9.4% of young people aged 15-24 admitted to consuming hashish at least once in their lives as of 2023. The report references a United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime study from 2025 documenting troubling patterns, including a significant surge in pharmaceutical drug misuse among minors and modest increases in cocaine and heroin consumption. The Economic, Social, and Environmental Council (CESE) reported in August that Morocco counts six million smokers, including half a million minors, while gambling ensnares 3.3 million people, 40% of whom stand at direct risk of addiction. Irregular migration or 'harraga' proliferates among desperate youth. In 2024, authorities intercepted 78,685 irregular migration attempts, a 4.6% increase from the previous year. More tragically, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) documented approximately 2,000 deaths or disappearances in the Strait of Gibraltar and Atlantic Ocean, with 78% being youth under thirty. Crime and delinquency rates among young people have escalated markedly. According to the General Delegation for Prison Administration and Reintegration, inmates under 30 years old totaled 18,754 in 2024, constituting 43% of the total prison population. The Public Prosecutor's Office reported that 63% of crimes committed in public places in 2023 were perpetrated by youth between 16 and 25 years old. Racism and hate speech targeting youth have intensified, particularly in digital spaces. A 2023 survey by the LMDDH and the Moroccan Center for Citizenship revealed 87% of young participants endorsed preventing African migrants from sub-Saharan countries from entering Morocco, while 55% opposed Morocco becoming a host country for migrants. The report observed that youth aged 18-35 exhibited 'more aggressive and more fanatical discourse.' To tackle these multifaceted issues, the LMDDH proposes implementing a comprehensive national plan to curb school dropouts, overhauling university curricula to better match job market needs, initiating a 'Safe Migration Program' with seasonal visas, establishing early integration centers for psychological and social intervention, and forming a national observatory to monitor crime and youth issues. Achieving sustainable development in Morocco hinges largely on the state's capacity to invest in youth and cultivate an appropriate environment for their prosperity, argues the report. This requires strong political commitment, coordination between various government sectors, and genuine involvement of young people themselves in shaping policies that affect their lives, it concludes. Tags: Moroccan YouthYoung Moroccans
Morocco World
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Morocco World
Report: 16% of Al Haouz Earthquake Victims Excluded from Aid
Doha – An extensive field investigation by the Moroccan League for Human Rights Defense (LMDDH) has exposed serious shortcomings in the distribution of housing aid to victims of the Al Haouz earthquake that struck in September 2023. The report, released last week, reveals a stark contrast between official figures and ground realities, with 16% of affected families receiving no assistance despite losing their homes entirely. This figure directly contradicts official data from the interministerial committee, which acknowledged only 2.7% of families (1,652 households) were left without support. This discrepancy calls into question the effectiveness of the relief program implemented in the aftermath of the disaster. 'I received neither the monthly MAD 2,500 ($250) stipend nor any housing reconstruction support, even though my house completely collapsed. I nearly lost both legs in the earthquake,' one victim told investigators. He added that despite filing multiple complaints and participating in protests, his situation remains unaddressed. The LMDDH documented that 79% of respondents whose homes were completely destroyed received only MAD 80,000 ($8,000) instead of the promised MAD 140,000 ($14,000). Moreover, 82% of affected residents declared this amount 'grossly insufficient' to cover reconstruction costs, particularly considering the inflated prices of building materials in mountainous terrain. Flawed assessment process undermined by irregularities The investigation uncovered troubling defects in the evaluation process. Local assessment committees, mandated to include seven members, frequently operated with just four representatives, primarily local authority agents such as sheikhs and moqaddems. These understaffed teams conducted rushed evaluations without proper examination of damages. Residents from one of the douars in Angal community in the Amizmiz district accused authorities of applying 'double standards' when determining aid recipients. According to their testimonies, certain families received support while others in more vulnerable situations were excluded, pointing to potential favoritism and corruption in the distribution process. The report notes an especially concerning finding: 5% of surveyed victims reported facing extortion attempts by local officials to access their entitled aid. Though the Ministry of Interior has initiated legal proceedings against perpetrators of such acts, the problem appears pervasive enough to warrant a broader investigation. Transparency concerns were prominent in the findings, with the League criticizing the absence of published recipient lists and eligibility criteria, which fueled distrust and resentment among affected communities. Data discrepancies and culturally Inappropriate reconstruction plans The investigation pinpointed substantial contradictions in official data regarding destruction levels. According to the interministerial committee, completely collapsed houses totaled 5,835 while partially damaged structures reached 53,603. However, the Deputy Minister of Finance in charge of the Budget presented starkly different figures to Parliament, stating that affected houses reached 59,674, with 32% (over 19,094) completely collapsed and 68% (40,578) partially damaged. This discrepancy potentially reduced the number of families eligible for complete aid packages (MAD 140,000) by approximately 14,000 households. 'The number of completely collapsed houses should logically increase due to aftershocks and weather conditions, not decrease,' the League stated in its report, questioning the reliability of the official statistics. The architectural approach to reconstruction drew sharp criticism for its cultural insensitivity. The report discovered that while the average size of damaged homes measured approximately 170 square meters, the new designs offer merely 76 square meters – a dramatic reduction that fails to accommodate rural mountain lifestyles. An overwhelming 98% of respondents expressed dissatisfaction with the architectural style of new constructions, which rely heavily on cement rather than traditional building methods that have characterized the region's cultural identity for generations. Based on these findings, the League has urged immediate reforms, including swift investigation of pending complaints, deployment of mixed field committees to verify eligibility claims, and a thorough review of support levels for those who received reduced compensation. It also recommended increasing the number of certified engineers to expedite the rebuilding process and implementing a comprehensive development plan addressing economic, social, and environmental aspects of recovery. Read also: Over 33,600 Families Rebuild Homes After Al Haouz Earthquake Tags: Al Haouz Earthquake
