2M’s Parity and Diversity Committee is trying to reduce clichés and fight stereotypes. Since its creation in 2013 many projects promoting the status of women have been started.
In 2015 a study day on the way women are perceived in Moroccan media highlighted the importance of advertising in the perpetuation of stereotypes. The committee then had the idea of creating a competition to highlight women in positions other than wife and housewife. This year saw the first Tilila Award for least sexist advertising.
Advertisers and advertising agencies can upload their commercials on to www.tropheetilila.ma. The selection is done in two stages: firstly, the competition’s partners (the Union of Communication Consulting Agencies, the Group of Announcers of Morocco and the Ecomédias group) will choose the ten best submissions. Then on October 10th a jury consisting of, among others, anthropologist Mohamed Sghir Janjar, the UN Women’s representative for North Africa, Leïla Rhiwi, gender expert Rabea Naciri, and writer/director Sonia Terrab, will choose the commercial most respectful and enhancing for women. The first prize includes a contract to advertise on various media worth a million dirhams.
Female stereotypes are particularly common in Moroccan commercials. In its 2016 report, the Network of Mediterranean Regulatory Authorities highlighted the prevalence of female stereotypes in 91% of ads broadcast on Moroccan television.
Source: Huffpost Maghreb
