INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM IN DAKHLA ON "SAHARAN HISTORY, MEMORY AND HERITAGE: RESEARCH, PRESERVATION AND MUSEALIZATION"

Under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, the (Moroccan) National Human Rights Council (CNDH) organizes, on 16-17 December 2011 in Dakhla, an international symposium on "Saharan History, Memory and Heritage: research, preservation and musealization."

The symposium is organized in line with the follow-up of the implementation of the Equity and Reconciliation Commission’s recommendations related to archive, history and memory. It aims to develop an inventory on historical research on the Atlantic Sahara and to explore new research paths, covering issues related to history, memory and tangible and intangible heritage of the region.

This international gathering is held in partnership with the Agency for Promotion and Economic and Social Development of the Southern Provinces of the Kingdom, the Region and Wilaya of Oued Eddahab-Lagouira, the Faculty of Arts and Humanities in Rabat (University of Mohammed V-Agdal) and the Moroccan national phosphates company (OCP). It will be attended by some thirty historians, sociologists, anthropologists, university professors and experts from Morocco and nine foreign countries (France, Spain, Portugal, Mexico, USA, Qatar, Senegal, Mauritania and Niger).

Several points are scheduled for discussion, mainly the following: inventory on historical research on the Sahara, colonial archives (Spain - France), immediate history, oral history, tangible and intangible heritage of the Sahara, heritage: methods and processes of identification, inventory and preservation of memory, heritage and national and international cultural policies and musealization process of intangible heritage.

On the sidelines of this symposium, tribute will be given to Mr. Pierre Bonte, Research Director at the National Center for Scientific Research in France (CNRS) and member of the College de France’s Laboratory of Social Anthropology in Paris. He is a specialist in Baydan and Tuareg societies. He has several publications, including "L’Emirat de l’Adrar mauritanien : Harîm, compétition et protection dans une société tribale saharienne" (2008) (The Emirate of Mauritanian Adrar: Harim, Competition and Protection in a Tribal Saharan Society), "La montagne de fer. La SNIM. Une société minière du Sahara mauritanien à l’heure de la mondialisation" (2001) (The Iron Mountain. SNIM, A Mining Company in Mauritanian Sahara at the Time of Globalization) and "Epouser au plus proche. Inceste, prohibitions et stratégies matrimoniales autour de la Méditerrnée" (1994) (Marriage between Relatives. Incest, Prohibitions and Matrimonial Strategies around the Mediterranean).

CNDH organized on 15-July 16, 2011 an international symposium in Al-Hoceima on "Cultural Heritage of the Rif: What museography?" and held meeting with civil society actors in Nador on "Museum of the Rif: role of civil society", on September 16, 2011.

Summary

Activity: International symposium on "History, Memory and Saharan Heritage: research, preservation and musealization"

Date: 16-17 December 2011

Venue: Headquarters of the Wilaya of Dakhla

Contact: CNDH Communication department (+212 537732913)

CNDH and Ombudsman Institution sign Partnership and cooperation agreement

The National Human Rights Council (CNDH) and the Mediator (Ombudsman institution) will sign a cooperation and partnership agreement on Monday 18 October 2021, at 11 am, at the headquarters of the CNDH Regional Commission (CRDH) in the Dakhla-Oued Eddahab region.

Ms. Amina Bouayach, CNDH Chairperson, and Mr. Mohamed Benalilou, Ombudsman, will sign this agreement.

This agreement aims at defining a frame of reference for strengthening cooperation and partnership in the field of human rights protection and promotion between the two institutions.

It also seeks to enhance joint actions to promote the culture of rights and duty, education on human rights, citizenship in exercising rights and consolidating governance in administrative management. Besides, it intends to share experiences and expertise related to handling complaints, training, etc.

Ms. Bouayach and Mr. Benalilou will also launch the opening of the Mediator Bureau at the headquarters of the CRDH in Dakhla, Morocco.

Steering Committee for Citizenship Platform for Promotion of Human Rights Culture Set up

The Steering Committee for Citizenship Platform for the Promotion of the Human Rights Culture (Platform) held a meeting on December 15, 2009 in Rabat under the chairmanship of Mr. Ahmed Herzenni, President of the Advisory Council on Human Rights (CCDH).

Following this meeting, the participants decided to organize the committee on the following basis:

- An office of the committee;

- Creation of three internal working groups according to the areas of the Platform;

The division of responsibilities within the committee monitoring the implementation of the Platform is as follows:

- Committee Chairman: Mr. Ahmed Herzenni, CCDH President;

- Vice President: Ms. Farida Elkhamlichi, Advisor to the Prime Minister;

- Secretary General: Mr. Abdessalam Elouazanni, Dean of the Faculty of Education Sciences

- Head of communication and relations with the press: Mr. Noureddine Rakib, SNRT journalist;

- Coordinator of the Awareness Working Group: Mr. Abderrahmane Bellouch, Moroccan Association for Cultural Exchange;

- Coordinator of the Education Working Group: Mr. Mustapha Kak, Director of the Center for the Training of Inspectors, Ministry of National Education, Higher Education, Staff Training and Scientific Research;

- Coordinator of the Working Group on Vocational Training: Mr. Driss Najim, Adviser to the Minister of Justice.

It should be noted that the installation ceremony of the monitoring committee, composed of representatives of governmental and public institutions, including the CCDH and the representatives of the university, public media and civil society, took place on October 28, 2009 under the chairmanship of the CCDH President.

The Platform aims to build momentum for the mobilization of government and non government stakeholders to coordinate and integrate all activities of promoting the human rights culture in the framework of a vision which is comprehensive, consistent and permanent, and which meets a societal goal based on upholding the values of human rights in society and the ownership of these values by its members.

The Platform has identified three levels of intervention, namely education, training and awareness.

20.5 Million Moroccan Dirhams for the Program of Support for Reparation Actions in Regions Affected By Human Rights Violations

As part of the implementation of the recommendations of the Equity and Reconciliation Commission (IER), mainly as regards community reparation, the CDG, a financial group and the agency in charge of executing the Program, launches for local associations of target provinces, indicated below, two calls for proposals for a total of 20.5 million dirhams for the year 2009.

The call for proposals No. 1-2009 meant for the provinces and prefecture of Figuig, Zagora, Errachidia, Khenifra, Al Hoceima, Nador and Hay Mohammadi, (Casablanca), enjoys support from the European Union, under the Financing Agreement MED/2006/18-122, and a contribution from the Agency for the Development of the Eastern Provinces. The second call for proposals (No. 2/2009) benefits from a contribution from the CDG and the Provincial Councils of the Provinces of Azilal, Khemisset and Tan Tan.

These calls for proposals aim at achieving the overall objective of the Program, which is to improve the sense of fairness and contribute to the development of the regions and communities victims of past human rights violations.

Actions eligible for funding must meet the following requirements:

- Building the capacity of local stakeholders, mainly in the areas of local governance, promotion of human rights and citizenship, and development approaches;

- Preserving the positive memory through the rehabilitation of places of memory, creating spaces for the preservation of memory and data collection on human rights violations;

- Supporting income-generating activities directed at the communities targeted by the program;

- Gender mainstreaming by supporting awareness-raising and referral for women, creating income-generating activities, and supporting actions to combat illiteracy and improve women's access to basic social services;

- Protecting the environment through awareness raising activities;

- Improving the access of target communities to basic social services.

For more information, see the Guidelines for the Call for Proposals No 1/2009 and 2/2009.

The deadline for applications is 8 June 2009 at 16.00.

Applicants for a grant should be local associations with headquarters in target provinces.

Applicants may act individually or with partner organizations. Partners must be other associations.

These calls for proposals will make it possible to finance up to 90% of projects meeting the requirements of the call.

The full guidelines for applicants and the presentation form of a brief note can be downloaded at the following Internet websites:

http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/cgi/frame12.pl
www.delmar.ec.europa.eu &
http://www.cdg.ma
http://www.ccdh.org.ma

Local associations of the Provinces of Azilal, Khemisset and Tan Tan are requested to download the full guidelines for applicants and the presentation form of a brief note under number 1/2009 at the following Internet websites:

http://www.cdg.ma
http://www.ccdh.org.ma

The full guidelines for applicants and the presentation form of a brief note are also available on paper at the headquarters of the program local bodies at the following addresses:

- Al-Hoceima: Bd Al Moujahid Abdellah Hammou, Im.3, 3ème étage, A.7

- Errachidia Rue M'Deghra n° 212 AP; 3, Oued Lahmer

- Figuig Angle, Bd Hassan II et rue Al Qods, cité Baghdad, Figuig

- Khenifra Bd. Zerktouni, Quartier Faiza. Imm. 67, 3° étage, Ap. 7

- Nador Bd. Hassan II, rue 5 Im.11. A 1

- Zagora Cité Hassani, Rue Assaoussane, Imm ZOUZI, Rdc, AP n° 22

- Casablanca (Hay Mohammadi) N° 158, rue Aviateur Borgadame, 4° étage, La villettte, Hay Mohammadi

- Azilal Quartier Al Wahda

- Tan Tan 01, bis bloc 05, hay EL MASSIRA

- Khemisset Av. Khalid Ibn El Oualid N° 530 A.5 Hakamat.

Information sessions will be organized in each target province in May 2009.

The following email can be used for any information you may need:
ugp@cdg.ma

Press Conference on PANDDH

The Steering Committee on drawing up the National Action Plan in Democracy and Human Rights (PANDDH) in Morocco will organize on March 31, 2009 at 10:30 am at the headquarters of the Advisory Council on Human Rights (CCDH) a conference press to present the results of the first phase of work in the process of developing the PANDDH and to announce its internal structure and working arrangements.

The conference will be an opportunity to present the work program of the Committee, including the organization of a national seminar on April 3-4 2009, whose objective is to present the conclusions of the regional consultation meetings and think about the priority themes which will fall under the remit of the Steering Committee.

The project to draw up the PANDDH is a response to the concern of developing strategies for the promotion and protection of human rights in Morocco. This project benefits from a support program under a convention between the European Union and the CCDH. Its management was entrusted to the Center for Documentation, Information and Training in Human Rights (CDIFDH).

It is worth mentioning that this process was officially launched at the symposium held on April 25-26, 2008 in Rabat. Then, four regional information and consultation meetings were held in Marrakesh, Meknes, Agadir and Tangier in June and July 2008. Finally, the Steering Committee in charge of drafting the PANDDH was officially installed on December 3 -4 2008 in Rabat.

CCDH 31st Plenary Session

The Advisory Council on Human Rights (CCDH) holds its 31st plenary session on December 5, 2008 at the CCDH headquarters, located at Place Chouahada, Bab Laalou, Rabat.

The session will discuss two items on the agenda: the Press Code and the quarterly report of the CCDH activities.

The CCDH was asked in February 2007 by the Prime Minister to issue an advisory opinion on the draft Code of the Press and Professional Journalists, including maily its aspects of public freedoms and human rights.

To this end, the CCDH established a working group composed of its members and administrative executives. In addition to its meetings held in camera and dedicated to the discussion of this project, the Group organized meetings with the Minister of Communication and experts in the field.

The CCDH received also memoranda from the National Union of Press (SNP) and the National Federation of Publishers (FNE) stating their positions and proposals on the amendments proposed by this project.

In a preliminary memorandum addressed to the Prime Minister, the CCDH highlighted the need to deepen discussion on the project taking into consideration the following points:

- The role and responsibilities of the media in informing citizens within the process of democracy-building;

- Consolidating the constitutional gains in the field of freedom of expression and the need to develop a professional environment likely to continue the dynamics of social development in our country;

- Considering the legal vacuum related to the access to information and the right to information;

- The provisions containing imprisonment for non payment of debt and liberty-depriving sanctions;

- The need to define and clarify the media action and content complained of, to avoid interpretations that may restrict the freedoms of opinion, expression and cultural and artistic creation.

Also, the CCDH held in April 2008, a seminar on “the press code between international standards and national law”, attended by several stakeholders and experts in the field. The objective was to enrich the public debate and raise persistent issues in this regard.

Taking into account the different mutations at the national and international levels, the CCDH is now following this consultation process by integrating the debate on the press code in a global dynamic thinking on the public communication, in order to understand the different aspects of ethical and professional organization, including mainly the issue of self-regulation.

The opening of the session is scheduled at 9.00 am.

CCDH 30th Plenary Session

The Advisory Council on Human Rights (CCDH) holds its 30th plenary session on July 26, 2008, starting from 9 a.m. at its headquarters located at Place Chouhada, Bab Laalou, Rabat.

Two points are expected to be in the agenda: the validation of the report on the observation of 2007 legislative elections, and discussion and validation of the annual report on the status of human rights in Morocco for the year 2007.

- Speech of Mr Ahmed Herzenni, President of CCDH (Available in arabic).

Moroccan Oriental Region: Interactive Meeting on the Practical Guide for Managing Hunger Strikes in Prisons

The Regional Human Rights Commission (CRDH) in the Moroccan Oriental Region is organizing an interactive meeting on “The Practical Guide for Managing Hunger Strikes in Morocco” on Wednesday 6 March 2024, in Oujda, Morocco.

Through this interactive meeting, the CRDH aims to shed light on areas of intervention of each relevant sector separately. It also intends to introduce coordination mechanisms to manage hunger strikes in prisons.

This event will also provide an opportunity to introduce the practical guide. Participants will share their opinions and establish a methodology for communication and coordination among themselves to effectively implement the contents of this guide.

Representatives of all relevant sectors related to managing hunger strikes in the Moroccan Oriental Region, including Public Prosecution, prison, health sector, lawyers and CRDH members will participate in this interactive meeting.