International Seminar: Protection of the Rights of Migrant Women in Morocco and Spain- Achievements, Emerging Challenges and Perspectives for Action

The National Human Rights Council (CNDH), in partnership with the Observatory of the Rights of Persons of the Barcelona Bar Association (ICAB), is organizing on 5 December 2023, in Rabat, Morocco, an international seminar on the Protection of the Rights of Migrant Women in Spain and Morocco: Achievements, Emerging Challenges, and Perspectives for Action.

In alignment with global migration momentum, this seminar is part of an ongoing series of discussions on migration issues, particularly the protection of the rights of migrant women.

The objective of this seminar is to initiate a thorough debate on the complex challenges associated with migration and propose collaborative and comprehensive approaches. Besides, it also aims to provide an analysis of the migratory journeys of women between Morocco and Spain, focusing on specific issues relating to their protection, encompassing both legal considerations and the context of mobility between Morocco and Spain.

Bringing together experts from the Barcelona Bar, the Defensor del Pueblo of Spain and experts in human rights, gender, and migration from Morocco and Spain, this event will provide a platform to discuss current protection frameworks and potential challenges. The aim is to formulate concrete recommendations that can improve the situation of migrant women in the migration context between Morocco and Spain.

Participants will address key topics including the dynamics of migration between Morocco and Spain, protection of the rights of migrants within this framework, and both judicial and extrajudicial mechanisms for the protection of human rights. These in-depth discussions will provide a comprehensive understanding of the specific challenges encountered by this vulnerable population.

Ms. Amina Bouayach, CNDH Chairperson and Mr. Jesus Sánchez Garcia, President of the Human Rights Commission of the CICAC (Catalan Bar Association) and Dean of the ICAB will launch the opening session of this event.

CNDH-UN Regional Workshop on Enhancing the Knowledge Hub Related Women’s Rights for the Middle East and North Africa

The National Human Rights Council (CNDH) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) are organizing a pioneering regional workshop for the Middle East and North Africa on the Knowledge Hub related to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).

This event is part of the United Nations Project “Believing in Rights” and is scheduled for 22 and 23 November 2023 at 9:00 am at the CNDH headquarters in Rabat, Morocco.

This initiative aims to initiate a dialogue in the Middle East and North Africa within the framework of the UN Project “Believing in Rights” and its connections to the CEDAW. The focus will be on the implementation of the relations between religions and women’s rights. Furthermore, the workshop seeks to advance efforts in implementing CEDAW by enhancing the capacities of religious, educational and media stakeholders in the region.

Participants in this workshop will explore several initiatives that National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) can adopt in this context and consider innovative initiatives. They will examine how parliamentarians can effectively engage with the Knowledge Hub of the CEDAW and analyze the role of their involvement in enhancing women’s rights in national legislation. This workshop will be an opportunity to provide recommendations for lifting reservations to CEDAW in the Arab and North African regions.

Participants will address key topics, including:
- CEDAW and International Human Rights Law
- Religion and Women’s Rights
- The “Believing in Rights” Project with a focus on its interconnections with CEDAW and its impact on Women’s Rights in the Arab Region,
- The Role of NHRIs in supporting the Knowledge Hub of CEDAW,
- The Role of Religious actors in supporting the Knowledge Hub of CEDAW and how it can positively influence the development and protection of women’s rights in the Arab region and the lifting of reservations to CEDAW,
- Mechanisms for the engagement of parliamentarians in the Knowledge Hub of CEDAW.

Mrs. Amina Bouayach, CNDH Chairperson, and Dr. Ibrahim Salama, Director of the Human Rights Treaties Branch at OHCHR, will take part in the opening session of this event.

Representatives from NHRIs, professors, journalists from the Middle East and religious actors will also participate in this workshop.

Draa-Tafilalet Region Symposium: Effectiveness of the Right to Education for children in difficult circumstances, with Zagora Province as a Case Study

The Regional Human Rights Commission (CRDH) in the Draa-Tafilalet region, in coordination with the Support Unit for Women and Children Victims of Violence at the Court of First Instance in Zagora, Morocco, will organize a symposium on the “Effectiveness of the Right to Education for Children in Difficult Circumstances in the Draa-Tafilalet region, Zagora Province as a case of study.”

This symposium will take place on Friday 10 November 2023, at 9:30 am at the Cultural Center in Zagora.

It is part of the implementation of the CRDH’s 2023 action program, dedicated to promoting a human rights culture. It aims to enhance communication with stakeholders working in the field of childhood in the Draa-Tafilalet region.

This event also seeks to initiate a collective and participatory dialogue, examine challenges hindering the implementation of the right to education for children in difficult circumstances and explore potential solutions.

Participants will address the effectiveness of the right to education for children in difficult circumstances, including: 
- The experience of the Support Unit for Women and Children Victims of Violence at the Court of First Instance in Zagora,
- The efforts of the Regional Directorate of National Education, Preschool and Sports in Zagora,
- The role of the National Cooperation Foundation,
- Identifying issues and proposing possible solutions.

Several governmental and non-governmental stakeholders, members of the Support Unit for Women and Children Victims of Violence at the Court of First Instance in Zagora, human rights activists and media professionals will take part in this event.

CNDH organizes the 10th regional consultation with children in the Oriental Region in Morocco

In the framework of the regional consultations with children launched by Mrs. Amina Bouayach, Chairperson of the National Human Rights Council (CNDH), from Guelmim, Morocco, on 3 February 2023, under the slogan “I Decide My Fate,” the CNDH Regional Commission in the Oriental region (CRDH) will organize the 10th regional consultation with the children of the Oriental region, on Friday 10 November 2023, at 9:30 am, at the Regional Center for Competencies in Oujda, Morocco.

These regional consultations aim to implement the principle of children’s participation as outlined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). Children from various regions of the area will be actively engaged, allowing them to voice their opinions and aspirations regarding the protection and promotion of their rights.

This initiative will contribute to the preparation for a report addressing children’s issues related to the CRC implementation, in compliance with international standards for child participation. This report will be submitted to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child beside the national report.

Mr. Mohamed Amarti, President of the CRDH in the Oriental region, will inaugurate this event.

This consultation will focus on three main topics:
- Protection and special preventive measures,
- Public policies (health, education, justice...),
- Access to information and participation.

The event will also feature the screening of a video entitled “I Decide My Fate” and an interactive session with the National Child Redress Mechanism.

Additionally, this event will be preceded by a meeting of facilitators who will conduct the consultation workshops. This meeting will take place on Thursday 9 November 2023, at 3 pm, at the CRDH in Oujda. It aims to present the consultations’ tools and methodology guidelines for the regional consultation with children.

Consultative meetings with children will continue throughout the current year in Laayoune and Dakhla.

Effectiveness of Human Rights and Freedoms: Spatial Justice as a Lever for Human Development and Enhancing Resilience

The National Human Rights Council (CNDH) will organize a meeting on “Spatial Justice as a Lever for Human Development and Enhancing Resilience” and take place on Tuesday 31 October 2023, at 3 pm at the CNDH headquarters in Rabat, Morocco.

This meeting is part of the second session of the “Human Rights Agora” project, which is a series of discussion panels on the effectiveness of human rights and freedoms.

It is organized within a national context marked by regional and spatial disparities discussion in Morocco.

These disparities hinder human development and weaken society’s ability to resist natural disasters and climate/humanitarian crises. Similarly, in an international context shaped by threats related to uncertainty and the increasing scale of challenges associated with human development.

Through this event, the CNDH seeks to examine the reality of spatial disparities, their various causes and their effects on human development efforts. It also intends to explore possible approaches to build public action founded on spatial justice as a basic condition for comprehensive development and a lever to enhance society’s capacity to resilience. Besides, the CNDH aims to establish foundations for a national early warning system as part of a strategy for crisis anticipation and build a flexible system to deal with these crises in case they occur by providing conclusions/recommendations in this regard.

Stakeholders will address this issue through three key points:
- Regionalization/challenges of territorial management of spatial disparities;
- Public policies and challenges of reducing socio-spatial differences;
- Spatial justice, challenges facing human development, and strengthening resilience capacity.

Mrs. Amina Bouayach, CNDH Chairperson, will inaugurate this event.

Researchers, economic/sociology experts, specialists in education, environment, climate and human rights, activists and government representatives will take part in this meeting.

Sixth Edition of the Migrant Festival focuses on Valuing the Heritage of International Migration

The National Human Rights Council (CNDH), University Ibn Zohr in Agadir, Morocco, the Association of Researchers in Migration and Development (known in French as Association des Chercheurs en Migrations et Développement (ACMD)) and the Regional Observatory for Migrations, Spaces and Societies (ORMES) are organizing the sixth edition of the Migrant Festival under the slogan Valuing the Heritage of International Migrations, on 27 and 28 October 2023, at 9:00 am in Agadir, Morocco.

This international event seeks to value the contribution of migration movements in building Morocco’s national history, particularly in its development.

It will also shed light on ways to preserve the history and memory of migrations and its heritage, by examining the experiences of the countries receiving migrants and the prospects of countries of origin.

Mrs. Amina Bouayach, Chairperson of the National Human Rights Council (CNDH), President of Ibn Zohr University, President of the Souss-Massa Regional Council and ACMD President, will deliver statements at the opening session of this event.

United Nations Special Rapporteur in the field of Cultural Rights, the representative of the International Organization for Migration, and other personalities will take part in this festival.

Several researchers and experts in migration from Morocco, Cameroon, Italy, Tunisia, France, Mauritania, Argentina, South Africa and Niger will also participate in this event.

Over two days, participants, through workshops, will study several topics including: The rights of migrants in Africa -international instruments and national legislation; The Maghreb states in the pre-colonial period - a meeting place of dense movements; Tracking the paths of migrants from North Africa to the Maritime Alps, etc.

This festival will also be an opportunity to pay tribute to several university professors and researchers in migration and present a collection of literature related to the subject.

Interactive workshop: Lanzarote Convention and Child Protection System in Morocco

The National Human Rights Council (CNDH), in partnership with the Council of Europe (CoE) office in Morocco, will organize an interactive workshop on sexual offenses against children entitled: The Lanzarote Convention and the Child Protection System in Morocco, on Tuesday 24 October 2023, at 8.30 am at the CNDH’s headquarters in Rabat, Morocco.

This meeting aims to shed light on the additional value of the CoE Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse and highlight the importance of its ratification and accession in strengthening the child protection system in Morocco.

At this interactive workshop, stakeholders will discuss issues related to the protection of children and the international and regional normative framework (Lanzarote Convention). They will also share insights on national and international NGOs’ best practices and experiences related to protecting children from sexual offenses.

National/international experts, representatives of governmental/non-governmental sectors, and a group of children who participated in the CNDH regional consultations will take part in this event.

NANHRI General Assembly: CNDH re-elected at GANHRI and NANHRI decision-making bodies

The Network of African National Human Rights Institutions (NANHRI) General Assembly re-elected the National Human Rights Council (CNDH) representative of NANHRI at the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) Bureau and member of the Working Group on Businesses and Human Rights (BHR) on 17 and 18 October 2023 in Accra, Ghana.

To be noted that the CNDH holds, currently, the position of the GANHRI Secretary and Vice-President.

The CNDH was also re-elected as a member of the Steering Committee representing the northern sub-region and President of the Working Group on Migration and member of the Working Group on the Rights of the Child.

CNDH Chairperson, Mrs. Amina Bouayach, in her capacity as President of the Working Group on Migration, presented the progress report in which she notably highlighted the actions conducted to promote the rights of migrants. She also shed light on the preparations for the participation of NHRIs in the Refugee Forum scheduled from 13 to 15 December 2023 in Geneva.

At this event, Mr. Elasto Hilarious Mugwadi, NANHRI outgoing president and Chair of the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission, handed over the presidency of NANHRI to Mr. Joseph Whittal, President of the Ghana Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice.

The presidency of the NANHRI alternates between NHRIs accredited with A Status according to African regions.

Drâa-Tafilalet Region: Seminar on HIV and Human Rights

The Regional Human Rights Commission in the Drâa-Tafilalet Region (CRDH), in coordination with the Regional Directorate of Health and Social Protection, will organize a symposium on “HIV and Human Rights in the Drâa-Tafilalet Region” on Tuesday 24 October 2023 at 9.30 am in Midelt, Morocco.

This meeting aims to open a collective and participatory discussion on the reality of this phenomenon and its main issues/dangers. It also intends to shed light on ways to implement the national strategic plan 2021-2025 to combat HIV in the Drâa-Tafilalet region and monitor prospects for developing the contributions of relevant stakeholders and civil society to alleviate this phenomenon.

At this symposium, participants will address several topics, mainly: the National Human Rights Council (CNDH) report on the “Effectiveness of the right to health in Morocco: challenges  and ways to its strengthening”, implementation of the national strategic plan to combat HIV 2023 in the Drâa-Tafilalet region, providing care for people living with HIV and the most vulnerable individuals in the Drâa-Tafilalet region (Midelt province as an example), role of the Moroccan Association against HIV in reducing this disease, human rights perspectives on disease- HIV as an example, and practical proposals.

Stakeholders from governmental and non-governmental sectors, the Moroccan Association against HIV, civil and human rights activists, experts and media professionals will participate in this event.

CNDH participates in the proceedings of the 14th Biennial Conference of the NANHRI in Accra

The National Human Rights Council (CNDH), represented by a delegation led by Ms. Amina Bouayach, CNDH Chairperson, participates in the proceedings of the 14th Biennial Conference of the Network of African National Human Rights Institutions (NANHRI) on: “Nurturing responsible business conduct and respect for human rights in Africa,” which will be held from 17 to 20 October 2023, in Accra, Ghana.

The 14th Biennial Conference of the NANHRI aims to examine the role of national institutions (NHRIs) in centering human and people’s rights in the context of business operations and the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement.

The participation of the CNDH in this event represents its ongoing commitment to conduct its missions within the NANHRI aiming to promote human rights throughout the continent and enhance cooperation and coordination amongst NHRIs.

Organized by the NANHRI in cooperation with the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice in Ghana, this Biennial Conference schedules several sessions on the relationship between human rights and business in the Africa.

Within this context, Ms. Bouayach will present the CNDH perspective on global trends in mandatory human rights due diligence directives in the European Union and their implications on Africa.
Dr. Hilarious Mugwadi, NANHRI President, will chair the proceedings of the Biennial Conference.

Heads and representatives of African NHRIs will participate in this event.

NANHRI Steering Committee and its General Assembly will be organized on 17 October 2023.

The 14th Biennial Conference of the NANHRI will be held from 18 to 20 October 2023.

This event will be an opportunity to present the progress report of the NANHRI secretariat and the report of the Working Group on Migration, which was established in December 2018 and chaired by the CNDH in Morocco.

It will also be an occasion to re-elect the Executive Committee members and NANHRI representatives in the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) bodies and the NANHRI.