You are here : HomeCNDH recommends repealing all discriminatory texts, including ones affecting persons with disabilities

  • Reduce
  • Enlarge

CNDH recommends repealing all discriminatory texts, including ones affecting persons with disabilities

The National Human Rights Council (CNDH) organized, in partnership with the Ministry of Solidarity, Social Integration and Family, a national conference on “Persons with disabilities and legal capacity” on 19 December 2022 in Rabat, Morocco.

In her opening statement, Mrs. Amina Bouayach, Chairperson of the National Human Rights Council (CNDH), shed light on legal capacity of persons with disabilities as one of the issues related to their civil, economic and social rights. For 30 years, the CNDH considered that the harmonization of national legislation with international standards is fundamental for implementing human rights and protecting the rights of vulnerable groups.

Mrs. Bouayach also highlighted the recommendation of the international seminar organized in December 2020 by the CNDH in partnership with international and African mechanisms, which called for deepening and broadening debates and consultations to include all relevant actors. On the same occasion, she underlined that the CNDH previously emphasized the need for adopting the accompaniment approach instead of the guardianship system. She also stressed the importance of its implementation by reviewing laws, including the family code, commercial law, the law of obligations and contracts and the criminal code.

Within the current context related to reviewing the Family Code, the CNDH Chairperson announced that after 18 years of implementation, assessment, campaigns, and field actions, the CNDH recommended repealing all discriminatory texts, including the ones affecting persons with disabilities. She also noted that Articles 23 and 198 of the Family Code are at the forefront of legislative obstacles preventing persons with disabilities from fully enjoying their rights due to the lack of recognition of their legal capacity that ensures their independence in making their own decisions.

For her part, Mrs. Aawatif Hayar, Minister of Solidarity, Social Inclusion and the Family, affirmed that promoting vulnerable groups’ rights and persons with disabilities rights requires intensifying efforts and diversifying partnerships with relevant actors to achieve the aspired social and territorial justice. She also underscored the CNDH position in this dynamic as a pioneering actor in strengthening, protecting and promoting the human rights system and as an institution mandated to monitor the human rights-related situation.

This conference was an opportunity to discuss ways to develop national legislation, particularly within the framework of keeping pace with social protection, improving and amending the Family Code contents, and repealing its terms and concepts that maintain disability discrimination, etc.

Ministerial departments, public institutions, civil society organizations and experts took part in this event.

On the side-line of this national conference, the CNDH and the Ministry of Justice signed a partnership agreement related to legal protection, education, training, support and protection of vulnerable groups. It includes protecting women and girls rights, strengthening the capacities of social officials, and cooperation between the Government and the National Mechanism for the Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, etc.