Rabat: The generalization of social protection is a structural change in public social policies and a fundamental pillar of the social State project, as one of the most important mechanisms for stability in the face of crises and cyclical fluctuations, President of the Economic, Social and Environmental Council (CESE), Ahmed Reda Chami, said on Monday.
According to Agence Marocaine De Presse, Morocco, in line with the High Royal Guidelines and vision, achieved significant progress in terms of health coverage and direct social assistance programs since the adoption of framework law no. 09.21 on social protection, Chami stressed, speaking at the opening of the 9th International Parliamentary Forum on Social Justice, organized under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, at the headquarters of the House of Councillors.
Among the indicators of this progress, Chami cited the rise in the rate of the population enrolled in the mandatory health insurance system to 87%, compared with less than 60% in 2020, noting that 11.1 million citizens benefited from the ‘AMO Tadamon’ system aimed at the most vulnerable social categories, with an annual budget of around MAD 10 billion.
Similarly, more than 3.9 million families have benefited from the direct social assistance program, at a cost of over MAD 24 billion, he added.
The year 2025 will be a decisive stage in this reform project, as it will be the fifth and final year of implementation of the framework law, which will require intensified efforts to consolidate achievements and accelerate the pace of progress, he noted.
In this context, he called for the continuation of reforms linked to the broadening of the membership base of pension schemes to include over 5 million working people who do not benefit from any retirement pension, in addition to the generalization of compensation for loss of employment in order to achieve more equitable social protection.
With regard to the challenges to be met to ensure the success of this project, Chami pointed out that over 8 million citizens do not benefit from the mandatory health insurance scheme, either because they are not registered, or because their rights are closed. He also mentioned the rise in health costs borne directly by the insured, which can reach 50% of total health expenditure, whereas the ceiling recommended by the World Health Organization and the World Bank is 25%.
With regard to the direct social assistance program, Chami noted that its success depended on the precise targeting of beneficiaries and the reliability of the data provided.
Referring to the pension system, he stressed that current schemes are facing growing challenges linked to financial balances and sustainability, in addition to the need to ensure equity between different categories, noting that demographic changes, such as the drop in the birth rate to 1.97 children per woman and the increase in the average age, are putting pressure on these systems, requiring reforms that take these changes into account to ensure their financial balance and long-term sustainability.
Social protection reform is not just a short-term project, but requires forward-looking studies and actuarial projections to guarantee its effectiveness and sustainability, he concluded.