International seminar in Rabat to share good practices on independent and impartial election observation

The National Human Rights Council (CNDH) holds on Thursday, November 12, 2015, an international seminar in Rabat to capitalize on the previous independent and impartial election observation experiences and share lessons and good practices.

The participants will exchange and share their good practices and experiences in election observation and the evaluation of training and support programs for observers. They will also discuss the different approaches and challenges of the impartial and independent election observation.

This international gathering will also discuss the legislative framework governing elections in Morocco and advocate for more initiatives and joint actions by the different stockholders, following their respective prerogatives.

Representatives of national and international organizations accredited by the Special Commission for the Accreditation of Election Observers will take part in this seminar, which will address three main points: 'training of observers and the implementation of a new training strategy', 'election observation: scope and limits of approaches', and 'legal framework governing elections in Morocco: comprehensive analysis and proposals for improvement'.

On Wednesday, November 11, 2015, CNDH will hold a national workshop on its own election observation experience. CNDH’s regional human rights commissions will share the outcome of the regional workshops they held in October to assess the 2015 election observation. During these workshops, the regional commissions evaluated the process following a set of criteria: the mobilization and deployment of observers, women representation, strategic choices, training of observers, use of electronic tools, and to what extent the competent authorities facilitated the role of election observers. These workshops also analyzed the results of the elections.

For the 2015 election observation, the Special Commission for the Accreditation of Election Observers accredited 41 organizations, including 34 Moroccan associations, the National Human Rights Council, and six international NGOs. These organizations deployed more than 4000 observers, including 76 international observers, to monitor the local and regional elections and the elections of the House of Councillors (campaigns and election dates). CNDH also invited other international experts and organizations and national human rights institutions to monitor and observe the 2015 elections.

Bogotá and Medellín (Colombia) host El ciclo de Cine marroquí y Derechos Humanos

The Colombian capital Bogotá and the second largest city in Colombia Medellín will host the third Moroccan Cinema and Human Rights Festival (El Ciclo de Cine Marroquí y Derechos Humanos) from the 1st to the 29th September 2015. Después de Tánger. Marruecos, Hoy (After Tangier - Morocco Today) is the theme of this third edition.

The event is organized by ARTEDEA (Arte Dignidad en Acción –ONG) and the Centro para la Acción Intercultural Universitaria Ciudadana (CAPAIUC), in partnership with the National Human Rights Council, the Moroccan Cinematographic Centre, Mohammed V University in Rabat, the Colombian Ministry of Culture, the Cinemateca Distrital de Bogotá, the Town Councils of Bogotá and Medellín and the universities of Antioquia and Jorge Tadeo Lozano.

CNDH's support to this event is made in line with its efforts to promote the culture of human rights, mainly through art and cinema.

The festival will screen new Moroccan movies and shed light on the freedom, democracy, modernity and human rights values they convey. The selected films address several human rights issues, like individual freedoms, environment, gender and equality, minorities and cultural rights, childhood and children’s rights, peace, employment, youth, migration, etc.

Workshops and debate sessions with actors, film directors, institutional stakeholders, academics, and Moroccan and Colombian human rights activists will be held on the sidelines of the festival. The will particularly focus on memory, culture and national reconciliation; religion and human rights; cinema and identity, Scenario, conflict and national reality, etc.

El ciclo de Cine marroquí y Derechos Humano is an initiative launched by ARTEDEA and CAPAIUC, in partnership with the National Human Rights Council. The first festival was held in Madrid in 2014. The second was held in Barcelona in 2015.

More than 4,000 observers and 41 national and international organizations to observe Morocco's upcoming elections

The Special Commission for the Accreditation of Election Observers has accredited 41 national and international organizations: 34 Moroccan associations and six international NGOs, in addition to the National Human Rights Council (CNDH). 

The accredited organizations will deploy more than 4,000 observers, including 76 international observers, to observe the campaigns and the elections of the Councils of the regions and the municipalities, due on the 4th of September, the elections of the prefectural and provincial councils, due on the 17th of September, and the elections of the House of Councilors, due on the 2nd of October 2015. 

The Commission received 67 accreditation applications. It rejected 16 associations either for incomplete files or because the applying associations' artiles of association do not expressly refer to election observation or the promotion of human rights, democracy or citizenship, as set out in the provisions of Law # 30.11 on the terms and conditions of independent and impartial election observation. 

Accredited national associations

- Instance nationale des droits de l’Homme (for human rights);

- Collectif associatif pour l’observation des élections (for election observation);

- Forum civil démocratique marocain (for the promotion of democracy); 

- Observatoire national des droits de l’électeur (for voter's rights);

- Association Titrit (local association in Agadir);

- Médiateur pour la démocratie et les droits de l’Homme (for democacy and human rights);

- Collectif pour la promotion des droits des personnes en situation d’handicap (for disability rights); 

- Association Génération de la technique et du développement (local development association in Essmara);

- Association Jeunesse sans frontières pour le développement (local development association in Haouz);

- Centre de réflexion stratégique et de défense de la démocratie (local development association in Laayoune); 

- Association Tisghnasse  pour la culture et le développement (local development association in Nador); 

- Organisation marocaine des droits humains (for human rights);

- Centre des droits des gens (for human rights);

- Centre Chourouk pour la démocratie et l’information (for democracy and information);

- Association créativités féminines (in Sefrou);

- Fédération de la ligue démocratique des femmes (for women's rights); 

- Forum Karama pour les droits de l’Homme (for human rights);

- Association marocaine de lutte contre la violence à l’égard des femmes(for the fighting violence against women);

- Réseau Al Amal pour le secours et le développement durable (local association for sustainable development in Al Hoceima); 

- Association Rif pour les droits de l’Homme (for human rights in the region of Rif;

- Association Arif pour la culture et le patrimoine (local association for culture and cultural heritage in Al Hoceima);

- Association d’appui aux  personnes Handicapées (for disability rights and assistance in Laayoune);

- Alliance  nationale de la jeunesse et de l’enfance (for youth and children);

- Association marocaine des jeunesses pour le développement (for development);

- Forum marocain pour la démocratie et les droits de l’Homme for democracy and human rights);

- Association Tassila pour la Coopération et le développement rural (local association for cooperation and rural development in Agadir);

- Collectif El Madkouri pour les droits de l’Homme (local human rights association in El Gara);

- Association Univers presse pour l’information (local press and information association in Rhamna);

- Conseil régional du Réseau marocain des droits de l’Homme (network for human rights in the region of Béni Mellal-Khénifra);

- Observatoire des libertés et des droits de l’Homme (freedom and human rights observatory in the Region of Grand Casablanca);

- Association Hay Al Aouda pour l’environnement et le développement (local association for environment and development in Essmara);

- Association des chercheurs dans le droit du contentieux (local association of litigation law researchers in Oujda);

- Association nationale pour le développement durable et la coopération internationale (national association for sustainable development and international cooperation in Oued Zem); and 

- Forum Iffous pour la démocratie et les droits de l’Homme (local forum for democracy and human rights in Tata).

Accredited international organizations

- International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES);

- National Democratic Institute (NDI);

- Arab Election Watch (Arab network for election observation);

- Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies, 

- Arab Federation for Human Rights Centers; and 

- Gender Concerns International. 

CNDH will also deploy 500 obsrevers. Under its founding law, the Council has the possibility to invite international experts and organizations to participate in the election observation process. It has thus extended invitation to the diplomatic missions of Canada, Sweden, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, the national human rights institutions (NHRIs) of Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Palestine and Tunisia, the Arab Network of NHRIs, United Cities and Local Governments-Africa (UCLG-Africa) and the Observatory of political elections in the Arab-Muslim world.  

The European Union has also sent an election observation mission electoral mission, in Morocco from August 15 through September 14, for an overall assessment of the entire electoral process.

Political empowerment of people with disabilities in Laayoune

ADAPH, a local disability rights group, and the Moroccan Coalition for the promotion of disability rights held a workshop on the political empowerment and participation of people with disabilities in Laayoune on Saturday 15 August 2015, with the support of CNDH’s regional human rights commission in Laayoune. The activity was also supported by Handicap International, the National Democratic Institute and the Commune of Foum El Oued in Laayoune.

The workshop, said the organizers, aimed at promoting and advocating for effective political participation of people with disabilities and inciting political parties to include disability rights in the heart of their agendas and programs.

In addition to statements and remarks on the political empowerment and effective participation of people with disabilities in the political life, the workshop shed light on the preliminary conclusions and outcome of the meetings held by the ADAPH with its partners, including the Regional Human Rights Commission of Laayoune-Smara, political parties, local authorities, disability rights organizations, etc. on its political empowerment of people with disabilities project.

This project aims at raising political awareness of persons with disabilities, advocating for their effective participation in managing local affairs, increasing their political presence within political parties, and encouraging these parties to put disability and disability rights at the heart of political program priorities.

Special accreditation commission launches official website for 2015 election observation

The Special Commission for the Accreditation of Election Observers launches today Monday, July 13, 2015 its official website for the 2015 election observation: www.observation-elections2015.ma.

The commission’s website gives information about the special accreditation commission, the accreditation procedure and criteria for accreditation, independent and impartial election observation, the national legislation and international standards governing election observation, etc.

Organizations that can observe elections under Law # 30-11 on the terms and conditions of independent and impartial election observation can download the documents required for their accreditation application (application form, the observation charter, the list of proposed observers), and learn about the deadlines and procedures to submit applications.

Chaired by CNDH Chairman, the Special Commission for the Accreditation of Election Observers convened its first meeting on Monday, June 8, 2015 at CNDH headquarters in Rabat to prepare for the independent and impartial observation of the 2015 upcoming elections. The commission called for accreditation applications to observe the upcoming elections and set the 30^th of July 2015 as deadline to receive applications. The Commission will decide on accreditation applications and notify its decision to the applying organization, no later than August 10, 2015.

Under Law # 30-11, a special commission for the accreditation of election observers is established within the National Human Rights Council (CNDH). The commission is mandated to receive, review and decide on the accreditation applications. It issues special cards and badges to accredited organizations for their observers and drafts the observation charter that includes the principles and fundamental rules that every accredited observer must respect.

Chaired by CNDH Chairman, or someone else acting on his behalf, the Special Commission for the Accreditation of Election Observers include four members representing the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation and the Ministry of Communication, a representative of the Délégation interministérielle aux droits de l’Homme (inter-ministerial department for human rights), a representative of the National Authority for Integrity and Prevention and Fight against Corruption and five representatives of civil society associations acting as members of the National Human Rights Council.

The 2015 election observation will concern the elections of the Councils of the regions and the municipalities, due on the 4^th of September 2015, the elections of the prefectural and provincial councils, due on the 17^th of September 2015, and the elections of the House of Councillors, due on the 2^nd of October 2015.

CNDH 10th PLENARY SESSION: Gender equality and the right to petition and submit legislative initiatives by citizens

The National Human Rights Council (CNDH) holds its tenth ordinary session on Friday July 3, 2015. On the agenda a memorandum on two main bills governing legislative initiatives by citizens and the right to petition, the 2014 annual report a draft thematic report on gender equality.

Strengthening and promoting participatory democracy is the aim of CNDH’s memo that reviews and comments draft bill # 64-14 on the right of citizens to legislative initiatives and draft bill # 44.41 on the right to petition. The memo includes recommendations to redefine some concepts to expand the right to petition, make the motion and petition procedures accessible and easier, reduce grounds for inadmissibility, monitor follow-up and outcome, etc.  

CNDH board members will discuss and approve a thematic report on gender equality that will be published soon. The report tackles and discusses achievements and challenges regarding women’s rights and equality 10 years after the reform of the Moroccan Family Code, 4 years since the 2011 Constitution and 20 years after the Beijing Platform.

CNDH draft annual report 2014 is also on the agenda of the session. It covers several topics including the 2^nd World Human Rights Forum (Marrakesh 2014), interaction with parliament and the government, justice reform, CNDH’s efforts and campaigns in the fight against torture, civil liberties, prison conditions, children’s rights, disability rights, asylum and immigration, gender equality and parity, business and human rights and human rights in the Southern Provinces.

The opening session will be chaired by CNDH Chairman Driss El Yazami, starting at 5:00 p.m. at the Golden Tulip Farah in Rabat.

CNDH and UNHCR-Morocco commemorate World Refugee Day 2015

The National Human Rights Council (CNDH) and the UN refugee agency UNHCR commemorate the World Refugee Day from 18 to 20 June 2015. The 2015 World Refugee Day Campaign tells the human side of the refugee plight and aims to bring the public closer to the refugee story, showing refugees as “ordinary people living through extraordinary times”.

About World Refugee Day, June 20 2015

On the World Refugee Day, June 20, UNHCR commemorates the strength and resilience of the more than 60 million people around the world forced to flee their homes due to war or human rights abuses.

The 2015 World Refugee Day Campaign aims to bring the public closer to the human side of the refugee story by sharing stories of hope and resilience from displaced people. These stories will highlight the common links we all share with refugees, returnees, IDPs and resettled refugees.

The Campaign micro-site www.refugeeday.org features stories from refugees who describe in their own words their own passions and interests; cooking, music, poetry, or sports. Through their testimonials UNHCR aims to show that these are ordinary people living through extraordinary times.

The Campaign in Morocco

To commemorate the World Refugee Day in Morocco, CNDH and UNHCR team up to stage two exhibition stalls in Rabat-Ville and Casa Port train stations. The stalls will be an opportunity to raise awareness about refugees and refugee rights. CNDH, UNHCR, the representatives of Ministry of Moroccans Living Abroad and Migration Affairs and refuges themselves will be meeting with and bringing the Moroccan public closer to the stories of refugees. It will also be an opportunity for the refugees to meet with the public and tell their stories in their own words.

The East-West Foundation, a UNHCR partner, will organize several workshops and activities to commemorate the World Refugee Day in its intercultural centers in Rabat and Oujda.

CNDH/ UNHCR

East-West Foundation

International colloquium on the Moroccan penal code and penal procedure code reform

Rabat, 15-16 June 2015

The National Human Rights Council (CNDH) and 9 national and international organizations (the Hassania Association of Judges (Amicale Hassania), the Club of Magistrates, the Moroccan Association for Women Judges, the Moroccan Association Bar, the Spring of Dignity Coalition, the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network, the International Federation for Human Rights, the International Commission of Jurists and Penal Reform International) hold an international colloquium on the “Penal Code and the Penal Procedure Code: Reform Challenges”, on Monday 15 and Tuesday 16 of June 2015, at the House of Representatives in Rabat.

This international gathering is fruit of an unprecedented partnership of leading human rights NGOs and the main Moroccan associations of legal professionals. It is also supported by MarocDroit, a website for legal science and studies. More than 50 statements on the penal system will be delivered in the gathering by lawyers and academicians from the faculties of law in Tangier, Salé, Agadir, Oujda, Meknes Rabat, Fez, Mohammedia and Marrakech. A statement by the Moroccan Minister of Justice and Liberties will open the colloquium. Several lawyers and researchers from Tunisia, Jordan, France, Switzerland and Senegal will take part in the gathering as well.

The partner institutions and organizations share a strong conviction that the ongoing reform of the penal code and the penal procedure code is strategically important. This reform, according to the organizers, must take into consideration the progressive provisions of the Constitution, Morocco’s treaty practice, the broad consensus on the recommendations of the National Charter of Judicial Reform and the recent international developments related to national penal justice systems.

The international gathering sets two main objectives: identifying key issues and challenges in the penal legislation reform, through discussing and examining the draft penal code and the draft penal procedure code, and coming up with key proposals and amendments to the two draft laws, for a human rights-based penal policy.

The opening session of the colloquium will be held on Monday, June 15, 2015 at the Chamber of Deputies at 9am.

CNDH contributed to the national dialogue on judicial reform and released opinions and memorandums on several related aspects (fight against terrorism, violence against women, alternatives to incarceration, etc.). The Council has made fundamental proposals concerning military justice, the penal procedure, the Statutes of Judges and the organization of the High Council of the Judiciary.

National Preventive Mechanisms against torture: challenges and good practices (International seminar)

The National Human Rights Council (CNDH) organizes, in cooperation with the Association for the Prevention of Torture (APT), on May 12^th, 2015 in Rabat, an international seminar on “national preventive mechanisms against torture: challenges and good practices”. This gathering will be an opportunity to share country experiences and discuss best practices for the prevention of torture.

This seminar aims to “define the framework, organization and adequate resources to enable the future NPM in Morocco to effectively prevent torture and ill-treatment”. It will allow stakeholders in Morocco to “further reflect on the functioning of the future NPM in the light of other experiences and best practices and existing MNPs”, organizers said. 

The seminar will bring together key national stakeholders (government, CNDH, civil society, parliamentarians, national institutions, judges, journalists, etc.) and international experts, including representatives of the UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture (SPT), the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT), Council of Europe, APT, the Danish Institute against Torture (Dignity), the Contrôleur général des lieux de privation de liberté (general inspector of all places of deprivation of liberty)-France, and two national human rights institutions designated as MNP in their respective countries (Mali and Maldives).

Morocco ratified the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment (CAT) on June 21^st, 1993. On November 1^st, 2012, the Kingdom started the ratification process of its Optional Protocol (OPCAT) and deposited its ratification instruments on the 24^th of November 2014, thus becoming the 76th State Party to the OPCAT.

Under Article 17 of the Optional Protocol, “each State Party shall maintain, designate or establish, at the latest one year after the entry into force of the present Protocol or of its ratification or accession, one or several independent national preventive mechanisms for the prevention of torture at the domestic level. Mechanisms established by decentralized units may be designated as national preventive mechanisms for the purposes of the present Protocol if they are in conformity with its provisions.”

The opening session of the seminar will be held on Tuesday, May 12, 2015, at 9:00 a.m (Tour Hassan Hotel). The floor will be given to Driss El Yazami, CNDH Chairman, Mahjoub El Hiba, Ministerial Delegate for Human Rights, Mohammed Aujjar, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco to the United Nations Office at Geneva, and Esther Schaufelberger, APT Program Officer for MENA, for their opening statements.

CNDH releases an advisory opinion on draft ‘framework’ law on disability rights protection and promotion

The National Human Rights Council (CNDH) released an advisory opinion on draft ‘framework’ law (loi cadre) # 97-13 on the promotion and protection of the rights of persons with disabilities. The bill was referred to CNDH for opinion by the Speaker of the House of Councillors, on the 22^nd of January 2015.

CNDH recommends, in its opinion, harmonizing the provisions of the bill with international human rights standards, and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in particular. The bill should also be aligned with the principles and objectives of the Moroccan constitution and take into account comparative experience.

CNDH's main recommendations may be summarized as follows:

Objectives and principles: revising the wording of the first objective in the bill, to refer to the prevention of causes of disability and the elimination of incapacitating effects.

Social protection, health coverage and accessibility: adding a provision to give people with disabilities, their families and family caregivers the right to compensation to help them cover their needs.

Access to the right to health: introducing provisions to guarantee free or affordable care programs and health services to people with disabilities, prohibiting involuntary or forced treatment, protecting the right to prior free and informed consent, implementing the right to access to health information, and informing, training and supporting the families of persons with disabilities and caregivers.

Access to the right to education: introducing provisions to commit public authorities to providing reasonable accommodation, according to the needs of each learner with disabilities, taking measures to facilitate the learning of Braille, alternative script, augmentative and alternative modes, means and formats of communication and orientation and mobility skills, facilitating the learning of sign language and the promotion of linguistic identity of the deaf community, ensuring that the education of persons, and in particular children, who are blind, deaf or deaf-blind, is delivered in the most appropriate languages and modes and means of communication for the individual, in environments which maximize academic and social development.

The right to work: strengthening the rights of persons with disabilities to employment and vocational training. CNDH proposes introducing a provision to commit public authorities to supporting opportunities for self-employment, job research, job retention, and return-to-work programs. CNDH also recommends implementing the recommendations of the Office of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on work and employment, which call on States “to adopt positive measures to increase employment of persons with disabilities in the public and private sectors, including through the promotion of self-employment schemes which are non-discriminatory and fully inclusive of persons with disabilities.”

In addition, CNDH suggests adding two provisions to guide inclusion policies targeting persons with disabilities in the labor market: the first aims at providing for incentives to encourage the employment of persons with disabilities in the private sector and the second at committing employers (in the public, semi-public or private sectors) to providing reasonable accommodation to persons with disabilities in the workplace. CNDH also recommends further strengthening the commitment of the government and public authorities to developing national standards for businesses and disability-friendly employment agencies.

Accessibility: ensuring accessibility to infrastructure and all properties, new products and services, and strengthening the commitment to removing obstacles and ensure access to the physical environment and public transportation, information and communication services. CNDH also proposes a special card to be issued to persons with disabilities at the territorial level (regional or provincial). The Council recommends adding an article to the final provisions of the bill committing public authorities to taking all necessary measures to ensure the protection and safety of persons with disabilities at risk and emergency situations, and an article committing public authorities to developing the use of sign language ​​in all aspects of life.

The wording for the mandate of the National Committee provided for in Article 25 of the bill may confuse the levels of institutional monitoring under article 33 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

-  1^st level: under the first paragraph of article 33, “States Parties, in accordance with their system of organization, shall designate one or more focal points within government for matters relating to the implementation of the present Convention, and shall give due consideration to the establishment or designation of a coordination mechanism within government to facilitate related action in different sectors and at different levels.”

-  2^nd level: under the second paragraph of article 33, States Parties shall, in accordance with their legal and administrative systems, maintain, strengthen, designate or establish within the State Party, a framework, including one or more independent mechanisms, as appropriate, to promote, protect and monitor implementation of the present Convention. When designating or establishing such a mechanism, States Parties shall take into account the principles relating to the status and functioning of national institutions for protection and promotion of human rights.”

CNDH recommends the rewording of Article 25 of the bill to align its provisions with the first paragraph of Article 33 of the Convention.

CNDH’s advisory opinion included additional recommendations to ensure the implementation of the public commitments made under the bill, including public budget process, studying the impact of the bill according to the human rights based approach, as well as strengthening the treaty practice of the Kingdom.

CNDH recommends including in the economic and financial report, the gender-based budget report and the human resources report that are released with the draft Finance Report, statistics and indicators on the impact of budget decisions on persons with disabilities’ access to their rights which are guaranteed by the Constitution and the international Convention on the Rights of Person with Disabilities.

CNDH and the Central Authority for the Prevention of Corruption released a joint memorandum on draft ‘organic’ law # 13 65 on the work of the government and the status of its members (on August 1, 2013). In its advisory opinion on disability rights, the Council reaffirms the recommendation to introduce a provision to preliminary study the impact of bills and draft laws according to the human rights based approach.

The Council also recommends reformulating the objectives of the social cohesion fund, created under the 2012 Finance Act, adding as an explicit objective the financing costs related to the implementation of government commitments under the ‘framework’ law on disability rights and other relevant laws.

CNDH recommends the ratification of two highly important international conventions to strengthen the normative basis of the rights of persons with disabilities:

- World Intellectual Property Organization’s Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired or Otherwise Print Disabled, signed by Morocco on June 28, 2013;

- ILO’s Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Disabled Persons) Convention, 1983 (No. 159).

Prior to drafting this advisory opinion, CNDH held eight regional consultation workshops with the stakeholders concerned, from 28 January to 1 February 2015. More than 400 local, regional and national disability rights associations took part in these workshops.

CNDH held consultation meetings with three trade unions (CDT, FDT and UNTM) and the Moroccan General Confederation of Enterprises (CGEM), on 9-10 February 2015. Written contributions on the subject were received from CGEM and several trade unions.