A parliamentary advisor requested the Minister of Culture and Communication to clarify the absence of women in hijab from the news broadcasts on Moroccan official channels, pointing out that women’s hijab and other Moroccan clothing are missing from the screen.
Khalid Al-Satti, the parliamentary advisor from the National Union of Labor in Morocco, urged the minister to reveal the official criteria used for selecting news presenters on public channels.
Al-Satti asked the minister to explain the truth regarding the existence of a “condition” or “barrier” that prevents women in hijab from appearing in news broadcasts, and he also demanded to know the measures the minister intends to take to ensure equal opportunities between all female and male journalists, linking the presentation of news bulletins solely to professional competence and avoiding unjust discrimination.
Nadia Layoubi
This inquiry came after a heated discussion erupted on social media regarding the second channel, 2M, following journalist Nadia Layoubi’s post expressing her sadness over the lack of opportunity for women in hijab to present the news. She stated, “It saddens my heart that presenting the news on our channel is still not available to us because of head covering despite our competence and presence… No matter the constraints, the creative heart finds its way to reach.”
Layoubi later clarified that “the post was, at no moment, a testimony to a personal situation, nor an accusation against the institution I work within, nor a discussion about prohibition or harassment. I would like to clearly state that I work within the second channel in a respectful professional environment, characterized by relationships based on appreciation and mutual respect with my colleagues and managers, which I take pride in.”
She added, “What I meant by these words is to open a calm professional discussion about the criteria for presenting the news bulletin, starting from a firm conviction that competence, presence, and professional ability should remain the primary criteria, regardless of external appearance or clothing, and without bringing the subject into any religious or ideological discussion.”
