Webinar on "The effectiveness of human rights in Morocco: Towards a new social contract”

On June 12, 2020, the National Human Rights Council (CNDH) organized a Tele-Seminar on “The effectiveness of human rights in Morocco: Towards a new social contract”.

On this occasion, Ms. Amina Bouayach, CNDH Chairperson, underlined the importance of the consultative’ meetings held in the 12 Moroccan regions, to determine issues/difficulties related to the realization of the effectiveness of fundamental human rights.

These meetings were also an opportunity for various participants to suggest solutions to overcome these issues/difficulties and guarantee the enjoyment of the fundamental rights (particularly, the rights to education, health, and infrastructures) by every person.

These meetings are part of the CNDH follow-up process launched in 2019 to reflect on questions related to development and human rights issues. They are also part of the technological evolution which is framing the requirements of public opinion to enjoy the right to development.

Furthermore, Ms. Bouayach said that not only the CNDH strategy deals with human rights issues from a normative legal perspective, but it relies on a broader and more comprehensive approach that places the protection and promotion of human rights at the heart of the cause of development.

Ms. Bouayach also stressed that this overlap and complementary between the human rights dimension of development and the development dimension of human rights was very apparent in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic since March 2020.

The unprecedented exceptional circumstances imposed by the pandemic reflected a further clarification of the reality of disparities in the development strategies, she added.

For her part, Mrs. Judit Roberson, Chair of the Scottish Human Rights Commission, shared the Scottish NHRI’s experience and insights on human rights and Covid-19. She also highlighted the main points of Scotland’s National Action Plan for Human Rights (SNAP) which was launched on 10 December 2013. This action plan focuses on five themes including a Better human rights culture, Better world- Scotland’s international obligations, Better lives - Adequate standard of living, Better lives - Health and social care, and Better lives - Justice and safety.

Mr. Lahcen Oulhaj, expert in economics and former dean of the Faculty of Legal, Economic and Social Sciences, University of Mohammad V, Rabat, Mr. Said Khamri, Professor of Political Science, Hassan II University, Mohammadia, Mr. AbdelHamid Benkhattab, President of the Moroccan Association of Political Sciences, Mr. Mohammed Hachimi, Mr. Abdelmajid Belghzal and Khalid Ramli on behalf of the CNDH participated in this webinar.