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Abstract The demonstrations by thousands of young people since 20 February 2011 have re-launched the debate on the position of the young and their social, economic and political conditions in Moroccan society. This article examines that position and these conditions, revealing a series of social changes that justify our speaking of the emergence of a new sociological generation. It also analyses the 20th February Movement, its nature, its limits and its achievements, as well as the Moroccan regime's responses to it. The conclusions are that the movement's demands represent the vanguard of the reformist agenda and are the tip of the iceberg of the changes experienced by young people. Thus it is possible that we can speak here about a new historical generation. Acknowledgements This paper presents some results of the Project 'Juventudes, cambio social, política y sociedades en red en el Mediterráneo: el caso de los países maghrebíes' (financed by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, CSO2011-29438-C05-04). Notes 1 On the notion of generation in its different historical, sociological and genealogical versions, we refer to Galland (Citation2007). 2 According to the Haut Commissariat au Plan, in 2010, 3 per cent of children aged 7–15 were working, while in 1999 the percentage was 9. 7 per cent (Lahlimi Alami, Citation2011). 3 Celibacy increased among young people in the 20–34 age group, comparing the data for 1987 and 2007, especially for women, rising from 46. 8 to 65. 3 per cent (Haut Commissariat au Plan, Citation2008). 4 Source: UNICEF, Panorama Marruecos, Statistics, http: //www. unicef. org/spanish/infobycountry/moroccoₛtatistics. html? q = printme (accessed 13 July 2011). 5 Nevertheless, despite this progress we should not forget that although illiteracy is declining among rural youth, there are still many obstacles to surmount before girls stay in the education system beyond primary school age (6–11 years) (Haut Commissariat au Plan, Citation2005). 6 Thus, it is important to point out that young women made up 46. 5 per cent of students in public higher education in 2007 (according to HCP data from 2008) or that the number of female graduates tripled between 1990 and 2004, from 46, 000 to 146, 000. 7 The tradition of child marriages in rural areas is maintained by poverty, the legalization of a traditional marriage or the legitimation of the girl's pregnancy. In 2007, 38, 331 requests for marriage to under-age girls were registered (379 to male children), 33, 253 in 2009 and 41, 098 in 2010. Only 3, 474 cases were refused by the courts in 2010 (Nouri, Citation2011). 8 15, 280 women were candidates in the constituencies reserved for them, but only 5, 178 in the ordinary constituencies in which 125, 045 male candidates stood, which corresponds to 3. 9 per cent of the total (Desrues & Kirhlani, Citation2010). 9 Part II, article 19 of the constitution relating to fundamental rights and freedoms stipulates: 'Men and women enjoy equal rights and freedoms of a civil, political, economic, social, cultural and environmental nature, as set out in the present Part and the other provisions of the Constitution, and also in the international conventions and agreements duly ratified by the Kingdom, and in respect of the provisions of the Constitution, the constants and laws of the Kingdom. The Moroccan State promotes parity between men and women. To this end, it creates an Authority to work for parity and to fight against any form of discrimination. ' 10 On 13 February the movement presented to the media and public opinion from the headquarters of AMDH in Rabat an official statement setting out its claims. The text is available on the Facebook page of the movement: http: //www. facebook. com/Movement20? sk = info.
Thierry Desrues (Tue,) studied this question.