Maguy Kakon

Background

Maguy (Marie-Yvonne) Kakon was born to a wealthy Jewish family in Marrakech. Her father was an industrialist.

Career

Her parents, David and Dina Gabay, were one the wealthiest couples in the city. The family lived in an upscale apartment on a Marrakech"s main boulevard. The family moved to Paris in 1971.

In 2007, Kakon became the first Jewish woman to run for public office in Morocco.

In 2009, she ran in Casablanca"s municipal elections. In 2011, she announced that she would run in the 2011 Moroccan parliamentary election.

Maguy Kakon is married to Aime Kakon, one of Morocco"s leading architects. They have four children.

Kakon began her advocacy work under the auspices of the American Women"s Club, the primary women"s rights organization in Morocco.

She is active in promoting education for women. She believes that educating women will change the face of Moroccan society.

Achievements

• As head of the Social Centre Party (Parti centre social), she ran in the 2007 Moroccan parliamentary election, but failed to win a seat when her party did not pass the minimum electoral threshold.