Moroccan Women on the Market: Working Towards the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals

Authors

  • Douae Serraf Mohammed I University, Oujda, Morocco

Abstract

Sustainable Development Goals, also known as SDGs, are a global project adopted in 2015 by the United Nations to better build world peace and dismantle a number of social and ecological injustices by 2030. The seventeen goals outline a number of universal challenges, and their implementers are committed to working toward a world of sustainability where no individual is left behind; from eradicating poverty and protecting the planet to reducing inequalities and empowering women. In 2017, Morocco, in spite of its lack of social balance, implemented a strategy to convert to a green and inclusive model. Although the Moroccan context is different from that of Western and other developed countries, the attempted policies require a significant evolution within various sectors of life, such as education, economy, marriage, environment, social awareness, and a multitude of other sensitive spheres. Society, however, is already witnessing remarkable progress regarding the situation of women, as it responds actively to current transformations in gender roles. With Moroccan women’s entrance to the marketplace, also named ‘Suq’ in the Moroccan dialect, female members of society, especially in rural areas, have gained agency and independence, both financially and personally. On the other hand, traditions and inherited norms imprison women, preventing them from healing from patriarchal mindsets and discriminatory dimensions and impeding them from breaking the so-called glass ceiling. Therefore, a different approach must be implemented in the Moroccan context to eradicate the overall misogynistic gender understanding.

This exploratory research attempts to address a number of issues related to women's sustainable growth in the Moroccan marketplace as well as identify the many discriminations experienced by women there. In order to understand gender in the market and the overall desired sustainable growth, the qualitative study will adopt an intersectional perspective. As a result, the call to prioritize women and those who are furthest behind ensures a greater quality of sustainability, global growth, and local comprehension.

Key words: United Nations, sustainable development goals, Morocco, marketplace, gender, global understanding

Author Biography

Douae Serraf, Mohammed I University, Oujda, Morocco

Douae Serraf obtained her MA degree from Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University-Faculty of Letters and Humanities, Dhar El Mehraz, Fez, Morocco. Douae is a Ph.D. candidate in the Communication, Education, Digital Usage, and Creativity research laboratory at the Faculty of Letters and Humanities, Oujda, Morocco. She is also a visiting professor in the English department at the Faculty of Letters and Humanities, Mohammed I University, Oujda. Serraf is also a Moroccan delegate of UNICEF at the MUN and the Vice President of the Association of Cultural Ecology and Communication, Oujda, Morocco.

Published

2022-12-13

Issue

Section

Global Issues Conference Proceedings