By Siham Ali in Rabat
for Magharebia
Young Moroccans, such as these protesters marching on March 23, 2014 in Rabat, are demanding economic and social reforms.
Young Moroccans are set to benefit from a new employment strategy launched in partnership with the World Bank.
Moroccan lawmakers are calling for the long-promised youth card and other proposals to finally get off the ground.
It is high time to give young people their own special card, Councillor Abdesselam Lebbar told parliament on December 2nd. The proposed youth card would offer discounts for transportation, reduced access to venues and more.
“These cards exist in all countries, even those that are poorer than Morocco. They are important because they make it easier for young people to get around,” Lebbar said.
Youth Minister Mohamed Ouzzine responded that the project was finally in the works.
“If the age of the beneficiaries is set at 17-30, that’s a third of the population of Morocco. Such a large number of beneficiaries was not anticipated initially, and I have to admit that we’ve been really overwhelmed,” the minister said.
“Despite the difficulties, the card will soon be launched in order to give young people better access to basic services,” Ouzzine added.
The youth card is one of the promises included in the National Integrated Youth Strategy, which was developed in consultation with young people, government departments and financing bodies.
“Its aim is to make young people a central focus of government policy,” Ouzzine said. “This 2015-2020 strategy has been transferred to all government departments so that they can take steps to set the targets and the budget.”
“We don’t want it to remain nothing more than a slogan; it has to meet young people’s expectations,” the youth minister added.
A committee has been created to draw up the action plan.
“This strategy is being monitored by the World Bank and is regarded as a model in North Africa,” Ouzzine said.
The minister was also queried on efforts to assist jobless youth. According to MPs, effective action must be taken to combat unemployment in Morocco so that young people do not end up getting lost in “mazes”.
Ouzzine said that Morocco had recently partnered with the World Bank for an ambitious entrepreneurship scheme targeting 5,000 young non-graduates. Managers and local organisations should soon begin enrolling beneficiaries.
“It’s a question of equipping them with the tools they need to begin their working life,” the minister explained. “In other experiments, finance was raised for self-employment but because no training was provided, those schemes were a complete failure,” Ouzzine added.
In the past, the only time politicians addressed youth issues was during their election campaigns, sociologist Anis Chefoui noted. “Now, there is talk of a strategy with concrete goals. I hope that what has been promised will live up to expectations.”
“Politicians keep saying the same things but there has been no change in the day-to-day lives of young people,” said Amine Chalti, a 23-year-old accountant.
“Besides the matter of the youth card, priority must be given to employment and training, but so far, I have seen no signs of improvement,” he told Magharebia.
Hakima Sbili, a 21-year-old student, is more optimistic. She said she hoped to see government policy prioritise young people, as promised by the National Integrated Youth Strategy.
“I want to believe this government, which has made concrete promises, such as the youth card. But this must be implemented as soon as possible,” she said.
