The High Commission for Planning (HCP) is a ministerial structure under the authority of a High Commissioner for Planning, with the rank of Minister. It is the main producer of economic, demographic, and social statistical information in Morocco. It also conducts economic and social analysis and forecasting studies to inform decision makers. In accordance with Article 9 of Decree No. 2.19.452 of July 17th, 2019, establishing the organization of the National Commission for Sustainable Development (SDG), the HCP is responsible for reporting, monitoring and evaluation of the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Morocco.
Following the adoption of Morocco’s new development model in April 2021, the HCP is consolidating its efforts to help support the implementation of its recommendations through the production of the relevant data and indicators, the use of its general computable model to simulate scenarios for achieving its goals, and the conduct of related analytical studies. The issue of women’s empowerment and gender equality is one of the strategic choices of the New Development Model “Inclusion and Solidarity” transformation axis.
The HCP is currently conducting several gender-focused projects, notably with UN Women and the European Union. Within the framework of UN Women’s “Counting Every Woman and Girl” program, the HCP has carried out a diagnosis of the current system used for producing gender statistics, in particular in order to identify its capacity to monitor and evaluate the SDGs. This diagnostic indicated that the availability of gender data is satisfactory, but that improvements are needed to analyze these data from a gender perspective. In particular, the HCP identified the issue of women’s place in the labor market and their access to decent work, as well as women’s economic empowerment, as areas where its analytical capacities should be strengthened. These are areas considered priorities for promoting equitable socio-economic development in Morocco.
This initiative is supported by two Canadian experts, Abdoul Karim Coulibaly , Monitoring and Evaluation Expert and Sally Yacoub Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Advisor, to help complement projects undertaken with other partners mentioned above that focus on strengthening the HCP’s capacity to produce, analyze, and disseminate gender-specific and gender-sensitive statistics. It is also in line with Morocco’s progress and efforts to implement gender equality principles in accordance with its Constitution, Morocco’s international commitments, and its Governmental Equality Plan.
