Integrating women fully into the industrial workforce is not merely a matter of social equity but a strategic economic imperative that would unlock substantial untapped potential, driving innovation and productivity. 

Upon graduation, Sarah Hilali envisioned herself as part of Morocco’s booming agrifood business. Equipped with expertise in food product technology and quality control, she entered the job market with ambition and optimism. However, every interview brought rejection. Employers dismissed her aspirations, insisting that production jobs demanded physical strength, shift work, and long hours—conditions they deemed unsuitable for women. Meanwhile, her male colleagues with similar qualifications effortlessly secured roles in agribusiness, logistics, and industrial production. Disillusioned by the systematic bias, Sarah eventually left the industrial workforce, transitioning into the international development sector—where opportunities for women were more accessible—as a technical consultant. 

Sarah’s experience is not unique but part of a larger trend that constrains Morocco’s economic ambitions. Despite the country’s significant investments to position itself as a regional industrial hub, Morocco’s overall female labor force participation rate dropped to 19.7% in 2023 from 25.5% in 2010—one of the lowest globally. In key industries such as automotive, aerospace, and renewable energy, women hold a limited share of positions, with female leadership roles even scarcer. This underrepresentation not only risks stalling economic growth but also highlights a structural gap that prevents Morocco from fully leveraging its skilled workforce. 

Morocco’s growth dilemma 

​Over the past two decades, Morocco has achieved substantial industrial growth, transforming into a regional export hub. Between 2000 and 2023, the country’s GDP rose significantly, from 43.02 billion USD to more than 140 billion USD, driven by targeted foreign investments and sector-specific incentives. Strategic positioning has attracted major global companies, including Renault, Stellantis, Ford, Boeing, and Gotion High-Tech (one of China’s top EV battery manufacturers), resulting in extensive manufacturing operations and the creation of thousands of skilled jobs.  

As such, Morocco has launched a series of ambitious initiatives to solidify its industrial base and elevate its global competitiveness—unlocking significant job opportunities, including for women. Building on the 2014 Industrial Acceleration Plan that set a target to create 500,000 jobs and expand the industrial sector’s share of GDP, the Digital Morocco 2030 strategy aspires to transform the country into a leading digital and high-tech hub and Morocco's New Development Model seeks to increase of female labor force participation to 45% by 2035. 

In alignment with these ambitious growth plans, Morocco has introduced a comprehensive set of national initiatives—supported by both bilateral and multilateral partners—that focus on advancing women’s integration into industrial and STEM sectors. Building on the Gender-Responsive Budgeting (GRB) initiative established to align public spending with gender equality goals, the 2017-2020 National Employment Strategy aimed to create jobs and align education with labor market demands. Programs such as Idmaj, Taehil, and Ilayki have provided wage subsidies and on-the-job training for women in high-skilled sectors and funded women-led ventures in tech and innovation. The 2012-2021 Government Equality Plan strengthened these initiatives by promoting gender-sensitive policies across government departments. 

However, women’s participation in key industrial and technology-driven sectors remains limited. In the automotive sector, women make up 39% of the workforce but are largely confined to low-skill roles with limited access to technical and leadership positions. The aerospace sector shows a similar pattern, with 35% of women, mainly in support roles. Additionally, although the renewable energy sector has major job creation potential, less than 20% of these positions are held by women.  

Reducing Morocco’s gender employment gap by even 25% could boost the country’s GDP by 6-13%, while fully closing the gap to meet OECD standards could lead to an increase of 22-39% in GDP. This growth would allow for greater investments in infrastructure, education, and healthcare, reinforcing Morocco’s path to becoming a regional industrial leader. 

Unseen barriers 

The low numbers of women in these sectors stem from a gender-based education mismatch in addition to cultural norms, family expectations, and institutional biases and barriers that persist across various industries. 

According to UNESCO, while 42.2% of engineering graduates in Morocco are women—among the highest globally—this progress has not translated into meaningful workforce participation in ICT and other high-skill industries. This challenge is compounded by deep-rooted societal attitudes that prioritize male employment. According to the latest findings from the Arab Barometer, support for equal work opportunities for women has decreased from 75% in 2007 to 64% in the most recent survey. Similarly, an Afrobarometer survey revealed that approximately 59% of Moroccans believe that men should have more rights to employment than women when jobs are scarce, with only about 36% supporting equal hiring rights. These societal perceptions create a significant barrier for women, particularly in fields traditionally dominated by men. 

Patriarchal family expectations pose significant challenges to women’s career choices. In many Moroccan households, traditional caregiving roles are prioritized for women. Additionally, prevailing interpretations of religious and cultural norms often hinders women’s professional growth by imposing limitations on the types of careers deemed suitable for them. While some religious leaders have publicly supported women’s economic participation, others emphasize traditional roles. These cultural norms make it difficult for women to access certain male-dominated technical and industrial fields and to pursue shift-based or travel-intensive jobs. Cultural practices that prioritize male employment, especially during economic hardships, further exacerbate these barriers. 

Chaymae Bennouri’s journey into AI and data science reveals how cultural perceptions and institutional biases shape women’s careers in technical fields. Encouraged by her family to overcome barriers, Chaymae built expertise in machine learning and big data, eventually becoming an R&D consultant. Although her workplace stands out—with women comprising 60% of the workforce and 55% of engineers or researchers—she sees this as an exception, not the norm. Implicit biases often downplay women’s contributions within technical teams, reinforcing stereotypes that limit their advancement to leadership roles. The scarcity of female leaders in STEM not only perpetuates the perception that these fields are less accessible to women but also makes it harder to challenge existing norms and build more inclusive pathways. Chaymae’s experience underscores the broader challenge of dismantling deep-rooted biases that prevent women from fully participating in Morocco’s industrial transformation. 

Beyond societal norms, structural barriers within workplaces further limit women’s participation in industrial sectors. Many industrial zones in Morocco are located in remote areas, making commuting a major challenge, especially for women relying on public transportation. The absence of gender-sensitive workplace policies—such as flexible schedules, accessible childcare, and protection against workplace harassment—creates a hostile work environment that discourages long-term career progression for women. 

A blueprint for change 

Young professionals like Sarah and Chaymae offer valuable insights based on their own experiences to advance women participation in Morocco’s high tech and industrial sectors. They both agree on the importance of inclusive recruitment, structured mentorship, as well as targeted empowerment programs that combine skill-building and gender-sensitivity training to effectively dismantle stereotypes and create an inclusive workplace culture. 

Effectively addressing the barriers that limit women’s participation in Morocco’s high-skill sectors requires a multifaceted approach that combines policy reforms, private sector initiatives, and efforts to shift societal perceptions. No single solution is sufficient on its own; progress depends on how well these strategies reinforce each other.  

As the driving force behind Morocco’s industrial expansion, the private sector has a vital role in expanding opportunities for women in technical and leadership positions. This requires inclusive hiring and promotion practices that widen the pool of female candidates and set clear targets to track progress. Partnerships with academic institutions can also play a significant role by providing women with practical skills and valuable connections required to advance. 

At the policy level, expanding current government initiatives to include specific goals for increasing women’s participation in industrial and technology-driven sectors could strengthen these efforts. Offering financial incentives to businesses that show tangible results in hiring and promoting women can also further encourage companies to adopt more inclusive practices. Moreover, public-private partnerships can play a crucial role by fast-tracking gender-sensitive policies such as flexible work hours and anti-discrimination measures, making it easier to implement these changes effectively. 

Awareness-raising campaigns can play a crucial role in changing cultural attitudes that limit women’s technical career choices, recognizing that such shifts take years to achieve. Highlighting the economic benefits of women’s participation in these fields and sharing compelling success stories can help shift perceptions, while involving community and religious leaders can add credibility and encourage more parents to support their daughters in pursuing STEM careers.  

Integrating women fully into the industrial workforce is not merely a matter of social equity but a strategic economic imperative that would unlock substantial untapped potential, driving innovation and productivity. This approach not only strengthens Morocco's competitiveness but also aligns with its broader goals for sustainable and inclusive growth. 

The views represented in this piece are those of the author and do not express the official position of the Wilson Center.