Morocco – Intercultural Dialogue Index (ICDI)

Overview

Morocco has a mixed population of Indigenous Imazighen/Berbers (between 44-67%), Arabs (between 31-41%), and a sizeable population of Gnaoua or West-African descendants and Morisco descendants due to the country’s imperial history which led to different ethnic groups populating the region over the centuries (2012 est.: CIA Factbook 2021). Socio-economic issues such as poverty, lack of job opportunities, corruption, and racism have often hindered integration in Moroccan society, deterring the successful implementation and facilitation of multicultural acts, policies, and related initiatives.

Berber/Amazigh activists who see linguistic recognition as a crucial step towards social, economic, and political recognition have been campaigning for social justice, and linguistic and cultural recognition. Until recently, Arabic has been the only official language in the country. However, a constitutional amendment has acknowledged Tamazight as an official language alongside Arabic and has been incorporated in the educational system, reducing the suppression and marginalisation of the identity of the Tamazight speaker population. However, Tamazight represent one language group and there have been criticisms that this promotion of one dialect/language group works to disadvantage others. In 2001, Morocco established the Moroccan Royal Institute for Amazigh Culture to maintain the country’s multicultural heritage. However, this has been criticised as a political tool for government interference that aimed to centralise multiculturalism and ethnic issues.

Intercultural Dialogue Index (ICDI) Score

Component	Score
Legislative Dimension	0.64
Multiculturalism	0.62
Anti-Discrimination	0.67
Structural Dimension	0.27
Social Contact	0.02
Fractionalisation	0.58
Inequality	0.09
Access to communication	0.20
Cohesion and Stability	0.45
Opportunities Dimension	0.51
Attitudes	0.48
Inclusion	0.52
Freedoms and Rights	0.52
ICDI Score	0.47

Note: the higher values of the scores the more favourable the results.

Summary

Morocco has attained an overall ICDI score of 0.47, which is below the average score in the current articulation of the ICDI results. Scores above 0.6 in the components of multi-culturalism and anti-discrimination indicate the presence of multicultural/diversity acts and policies, along with moderate levels of migrant integration measures. This contributed to a slightly above average situation around the legislative dimension. Average scores relating to the components of inclusion, freedom, and rights indicate a moderate level of intergroup relation and a similar level of freedom of domestic, foreign movement, and travel. A score below 0.1 in the component of social contact signals there is a significant lack of intercultural participation, as indicated by scarcity of diversified cultural centres, limited numbers of living Indigenous and immigrant languages. Similarly, a score below 0.1 in the component of socio-economic inequality signals minimal intergenerational mobility and lower levels of education attainment across the population.

Current situation and outlook

Compared to its slightly above average situation pertaining to its legislative dimension and an average situation relating to its opportunities dimension, Morocco achieves a low score for its structural dimension. Morocco can improve its ICDI score by increasing the platforms available for social contact, improving its Gini coefficient, and creating access to communication between and for different ethnic groups.