Criticized for her performance in Akhannouch’s government, Aawatif Hiyar, Minister of Solidarity, Social Integration and the Family, decided to break her silence and respond to the comments made against her.
During the press briefing organized this beginning of the week at the headquarters of his ministry, Aawatif Hayar, who took office more than a year ago, denounced ” the attack “which she suffered” by people trying to blackmail me and criticizing his record as an industry leader.
The Minister felt that in ” the absence of an evaluation based on objective indicators, I believe that I am a victim of this violence because of my gender“.
Moroccan women are often subjected to violence that forces them to show a ” extraordinary strength until their competence is recognized, while men succeed without doing so much, she lamented, adding: “ I am a university professor, but because I am a woman, some people say that my husband manages certain files for me”.
Furthermore, Hayar clarifies that she ” won’t give in to blackmail“, noting that when posting job offers, the ministry ” is attacked by some for the sole purpose of getting the job“, and that she refrains each time from answering.
And to support: “ Me, I work, and I won’t allow anyone to blackmail me“, and the fact of claiming that her husband runs the ministry and takes advantage of his position to have illegal advantages is” violence against (her) and an insult to Moroccan women“. The Minister particularly wishes to recall that her spouse is ” a Moroccan university professor who works and receives his allowances according to the Moroccan law in force“.
The Minister of Solidarity then presented indicators on the situation of women, the elderly and children in Morocco, noting that 21% of families are financially supported by women and that 8.2% of women are in a situation of vulnerability. Some 57% of girls and women are victims of violence whether physical, economic, sexual or psychological, she said.
Hayar also revealed that 24% of households have at least one disabled person, 24.6% of disabled people reported being unemployed, and 65% of this category have never been to school.
As for children, the Minister indicated that 39.7% of children under the age of 17 are in a situation of multidimensional poverty, and more than 4% come from families living below the poverty line.
The programs developed by the parent department, she said, aim to strengthen the value system and sustainability, family support and women’s empowerment as well as to ensure equality within the the society.