Youth Participation in a Promising Moroccan Future

While youth across the Middle East and North Africa have taken to the streets to make their voices heard, SFCG has been supporting Moroccan youth participation in local political debates. SFCG implemented a project to create a media platform for dialogue between the youth and the local government officials.  This project aims to empower young participants and increase the accountability of local government officials through regular discourse.

Youth participants at training in responsible civic journalism

During the project, 22 youth, aged 20 to 26, received training in responsible journalism.  The participants were trained by media professionals who taught them about techniques for responsible and informative reporting.  The young participants also learned about the impact of media in conflict resolution, democracy promotion and local development.  Participants then had the opportunity to try out their new skills by developing articles and radio programs, which were distributed through the internet and on radio stations, including Morocco’s national radio station.

SFCG also organized six dialogue sessions with local youth and government authorities in Marrakech and in Meknes.  Several civil society organizations also participated in the dialogue sessions as well as the young journalism trainees.  The sessions addressed many issues affecting Moroccan society; the role of educational institutions in instilling a culture of civic participation, the use of media to promote good governance and how youth can be instrumental in the development of their own communities. Nearly 500 participants attended the dialogue sessions and the event received wide press and radio media coverage.

Our work in Morocco aims to strengthen the capacity of government authorities while encouraging the positive participation of youth in political issues that affect their lives and communities.  These projects empower local youth and set an example for the national level.  As the youth involved continue to hone their skills we will see the true impact of these programs in Morocco’s future.

To learn more about our work in Morocco, click here!