Nearly six million Moroccan women say household chores keep them out of work, HCP reports

In Morocco, approximately six million women cite household responsibilities as the main reason for not working or looking for a job, according to a new labour-market study released by the High Commission for Planning (HCP). The report, published on 23 October, draws on data from the second quarter of 2026.

9.7 million women outside the labour force

The HCP found that 9.7 million women aged 15 to 64 were outside the labour force in the second quarter of 2026. Of these, 6.3 million lived in urban areas and 3.4 million in rural communities.

Housework and family duties were cited by 61.6% of these women — roughly six million people. Childcare was mentioned by 50.3%, or 4.9 million women, highlighting the impact of unpaid domestic work on women’s economic participation.

The survey allowed respondents to give more than one reason for not working or seeking employment, so the categories overlap and should not be added together.

Other barriers included education or training, cited by 18% of women; opposition from husbands, at 5.6%; and health problems, at 4.5%.

The data reveal a sharp gender gap in economic activity. Only 18.1% of working-age women participated in the labour force, compared with 66.5% of men.

More than two million Moroccans face unmet employment needs

Beyond women’s participation, the HCP survey also found that about 2.36 million Moroccans experienced some form of labour underutilisation during the second quarter.

This figure includes 1.12 million unemployed people, 711,000 potential workers who did not meet the strict definition of unemployment, and 527,000 employed people who wanted additional working hours.

The combined labour underutilisation rate stood at 18.9%, almost twice the narrowly defined unemployment rate of 9.5%.

The broader indicator captures people whose demand for employment is not fully reflected in conventional unemployment statistics, including those available for work but not actively seeking it.

Of Morocco’s 27.9 million residents aged 15 and older, 11.76 million were economically active, while roughly 16.1 million were outside the labour force.

Young people and graduates face additional difficulties

The figures also show substantial difficulties for young Moroccans entering the job market. Among people aged 15 to 24, the employment rate was just 16.6%, while labour underutilisation reached 41.7%. Nearly seven in ten unemployed people were aged between 15 and 34, and 40.9% had never worked before.

Long-term unemployment remained widespread: 57.2% of unemployed people had been seeking work for at least one year. Among unemployed university graduates, that proportion rose to 72.6%, even though higher educational qualifications are generally associated with greater labour force participation.

The study also highlighted regional inequalities. Casablanca-Settat recorded a labour underutilisation rate of 20.7%, while Dakhla-Oued Eddahab registered 8.6%.

The findings come from the HCP’s redesigned labour force survey, which uses an expanded sample of 135,000 households and updated international statistical definitions. The institution cautioned that the methodological changes mean the new results cannot be directly compared with previous employment survey figures.