REGIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION OF AGADIR HOLDS ITS 4TH ORDINARY SESSION

The Regional Human Rights Commission of Agadir convenes its fourth ordinary session on Saturday, March 30, 2013, at its main office.

This session, held pursuant to the Royal Decree establishing the National Human Rights Council (CNDH) and its rules of procedure, will be attended by Mr. Mohammed Sebbar, CNDH Secretary General. Items on the agenda include the discussion and adoption of the recommendations put forward in the Commission’s annual activity report, and an address by Mr. Sebbar on the division of tasks and the organization of the session in the form of workshops to assess the annual action of the regional commission in order to define the broad lines of its program of action for next year.

The Regional Human Rights Commission of Agadir was installed on January 23, 2012. In accordance with Article 28 of the Royal Decree establishing the National Human Rights Council, it is entrusted with tracking and monitoring the situation of human rights at the regional level and receiving complaints about alleged human rights violations. It is also responsible for implementing the Council’s programs and projects relating to the promotion and protection of human rights, in collaboration with all stakeholders in the region.

The territorial jurisdiction of the Regional Human Rights Commission of Agadir, chaired by Mr. Mohamed Charef, includes the governorates of Agadir Ida-Outanane and Inezgane-Ait Melloul as well as the provinces of Chtouka-Ait Baha, Taroudante, Tata and Tiznit.

SYMPOSIUM IN DAKHLA ON RIGHT TO ACCESSIBILITY

The Regional Human Rights Commission of Dakhla-Aousserd, in partnership with the Federation of Associations of Persons with Disabilities in the Region Oued Eddahab-Lagouira, organizes a symposium on “Right to and importance of accessibility” on March 30, 2013 at Dakhla City Hall.

The seminar, organized in celebration of the National Day of Persons with Disabilities, aims to highlight the importance of accessibility for this group of citizens. Professors and representatives of disability rights associations will take part in this seminar.

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which was adopted by the United Nations in 2006 and ratified by Morocco in April 2009, states in its Article 9 that “to enable persons with disabilities to live independently and participate fully in all aspects of life, States Parties shall take appropriate measures to ensure to persons with disabilities access, on an equal basis with others, to the physical environment, to transportation, to information and communications, including information and communications technologies and systems, and to other facilities and services open or provided to the public, both in urban and in rural areas”.

According to the same article, “these measures, which shall include the identification and elimination of obstacles and barriers to accessibility, shall apply to, inter alia: Buildings, roads, transportation and other indoor and outdoor facilities, including schools, housing, medical facilities and workplaces; Information, communications and other services, including electronic services and emergency services.”

SHARED PAVILION OF CNDH, CC AND ICPC TO CHERISH CITIZENSHIP AT 19th INTERNATIONAL EDITING AND BOOK FAIR IN CASABLANCA

The National Human Rights Council (CNDH), the Competition Council (CC) and the Central Authority for the Prevention of Corruption (ICPC) will share a pavilion at the 19th International Editing and Book Fair in Casablanca, to be hold from March 29 to April 7, 2013. The activities of the shared pavilion will revolve around the concept of citizenship and its values.

170 guests, from Morocco, Syria, Tunisia and France, are invited to take part in 70 meetings and activities: small seminars, workshops, book readings, tributes to figures who made their mark in 2012-2013, etc. The pavilion covers an area of 260 square meters.

170 guests from Morocco, Syria, Tunisia and France are invited to take part in 70 activities: seminars, workshops, book readings, tributes to figures who made their mark in 2012-2013. Every day from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. the public are invited to discover a program rich of activities revolving around corruption, human rights, Moroccan youth, competition and citizen enterprises, disability rights, projects and programs of the National Human Rights Council, etc.

Two seminars, one chaired by the president of the Competition Council and the other by the president of the Central Authority for the Prevention of Corruption are scheduled. Tributes will be given to Assia El Ouadie, Stéphane Hessel, Khadijah Shariff and Jacke Louvre. Roundtables on Tunisia and Palestine and a solidarity day in presence of Syrian intellectuals and artists are also scheduled in the program.

By the end of the day, a great Moroccan intellectual, Tamou, Laaroui, Tozi, Rachiq, Moudni, Bounfour and Chaoui, will share his/her thoughts on citizenship with the public. The pavilion will host a library of hundreds of publications of the partner institutions.

REGIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION OF AL HOCEIMA - NADOR ORGANIZES TRAINING SESSION ON PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION, PREPARATORY EXAMINATION AND HUMAN RIGHTS SAFEGUARDS

The Regional Human Rights Commission of Al Hoceima - Nador organizes a training session on “Procedures for preliminary investigation and preparatory examination and the safeguards of human rights", on Saturday, March 23, 2013 in Al Hoceima.

This training session, to which will participate a range of civil society and human rights activists as well as members of the Regional Commission, will be delivered by Mr. Abdelwahid El Hajoui, Commission member. It is organized as part of the Commission’s functions in the field of human rights protection and promotion through capacity building.

This opening session will be chaired by Ms. Souad El Idrissi, Chairperson of the Commission. Trough this raining, the Commission aims to strengthen the capacities of participants in the protection of human rights and help them take cognizance of the procedures for preliminary investigation and preparatory examination.

The participants will take stock of the various guarantees associated with these procedures, enshrined in the national and international normative frameworks. They will also be introduced to the constitutional and procedural guarantees, as well as the civil and criminal safeguards provided for in the national law and the law establishing the National Human Rights Council and its regional commissions in the framework of their role in the area of human rights protection.

The session will shed light on the international conventions constituting the universal human rights system, especially those ratified by Morocco, and on the role of treaty bodies.

REGIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION OF TANGIER HOLDS ITS 4TH ORDINARY SESSION

The Regional Human Rights Commission of Tangier holds its fourth ordinary session on Saturday, March 23, 2013, in Solazur Hotel, Tangier. This session is held pursuant to the provisions of Article 40 of the Royal Decree establishing the National Human Rights Council and article 22 of the Council’s rules of procedure.

The session’s program, which will open with a plenary session, includes the presentation of reports on the role of the regional commission in the monitoring and processing of the complaints it receives, and a report on its contribution to the creation of human rights clubs within a number of schools and university institutions in the region.

The session will also discuss the draft communication and media strategy of the regional commission, and approve the annual report 2012, the strategic plan 2013-2015 which the Commission has prepared during the intersessional period, as well as its action plan for 2013.

The Regional Human Rights Commission of Tangier, which was installed on February 2, 2012, is entrusted with tracking and monitoring the situation of human rights at the regional level and receiving complaints about alleged human rights violations. It is also responsible for implementing the Council’s programs and projects relating to the promotion of human rights, in collaboration with all stakeholders in the region.

The territorial jurisdiction of the Regional Human Rights Commission of Tangier, chaired by Ms. Salma Taoud, includes the governorates of Tanger-Assilah and M’diq-Fnideq, as well as the provinces of Ouezzane, Chefchaouen, Tétouan, Fahs-Anjra and Larache.

TRAINING WORKSHOP IN MARRAKECH ON PRISONERS’ RIGHTS IN MOROCCO

The Regional Human Rights Commission of Marrakech, in partnership with the private educational institution “Iraqi 2”, organizes a training workshop on the theme of “Prisoners’ human rights in Morocco”, on Wednesday, March 20, 2013 in Marrakech.

The participants of this workshop will discuss the report which the National Human Rights Council (CNDH) has recently published on the conditions in penitentiary institutions in Morocco. This report is entitled “Prison crisis, a shared responsibility: 100 recommendations for the protection of prisoners’ rights”.

Published in October 2012, this thematic report addressed conditions in prisons and the realization of prisoners’ rights behind bars. It highlighted CNDH observations, conclusions and recommendations about the management and operation of prisons, the enforcement of laws and procedures, juvenile justice, the conditions of women prisoners, prisoners with mental illness or disabilities, foreign prisoners, addicts and prisoners with chronic diseases, as well as the legislative and budget deficiencies.

In accordance with Article 28 of the Royal Decree establishing the National Human Rights Council, the Regional Human Rights Commission of Marrakech is entrusted with tracking and monitoring the situation of human rights at the regional level and receiving complaints about alleged human rights violations. It is also responsible for implementing the Council’s programs and projects relating to the promotion of human rights, in collaboration with all stakeholders in the region.

The territorial jurisdiction of the Commission includes the governorate of Marrakech and the provinces of Al Haouz, Chichaoua, Kalaa des Sraghna, Essaouira, Rhamna, Safi and El Youssoufia.

OUJDA-FIGUIG REGIONAL COMMISSION ORGANIZES MEETING ON CITIZENSHIP BETWEEN FREEDOM AND RESPONSIBILITY

The Regional Human Rights Commission of Oujda-Figuig, in collaboration with the Oujda-based Center for Studies and Research in Human and Social Sciences and the Eastern Region Agency, organizes a national symposium on the theme “Citizenship between freedom and responsibility”, on March 15-16, 2013 in the city of Oujda.

This symposium is held as part of the Commission’s contribution to stimulating reflection and debate on democracy and human rights. It aims to open debate among the participating researchers and civil society actors on a range of topics closely related to the building of democracy, particularly the relationship between the citizen and the state, citizenship and responsibility, citizenship, fundamental rights and individual freedoms, public and private limits, right to public affairs management, etc.

The symposium will be structured around three sessions. The first will examine the conceptual framework of citizenship and its intellectual and constitutional foundations. The second will be devoted to citizenship and public space management, while the third session will discuss political dynamics and the issue of citizenship. The program also includes a brainstorming workshop on citizenship and individual freedoms.

This event will gather local officials, civil society actors, politicians and representatives of trade unions, as well as some members of the National Human Rights Council and its regional commissions.

ALL AGAINST VIOLENCE AND FOR RESPECT FOR RIGHTS OF WOMEN VULNERABLE TO AIDS

The Regional Human Rights Commission of Tangier, in coordination with the Moroccan Association for the Fight Against AIDS, holds an awareness meeting under the heading “All against violence and for respect of rights of women vulnerable to AIDS”, on Friday, March 15, 2013 at the National Institute for Social Work in Tangier.

The meeting, organized to mark the International Women’s Day, reflects the role of the National Human Rights Council (CNDH) and its regional mechanisms in protecting the rights of vulnerable persons and promoting the culture of human rights. This is through the fight against all forms of violence and discrimination against vulnerable women, particularly since a close link exists between violence against women and exposure to AIDS.

The meeting aims at encouraging and stimulating an in-depth debate on the role of stakeholders in promoting and protecting the rights of AIDS-infected persons, especially women, and combating violence and all forms of stigma and discrimination against them.

It will discuss three major themes: the epidemiological situation, AIDS and human rights, and prevention operations among women in difficult situation.

REGIONAL COMMISSION OF TANTAN-GUELMIM ORGANIZES SEMINAR ON WOMEN RIGHTS IN MOROCCO

On the occasion of the International Women’s Day, the Regional Human Rights Commission of Tantan-Guelmim organizes a regional seminar on rights for women in Morocco, in light of international mechanisms, the Constitution, laws and regulations, in partnership with the Assa-Zag branch of the Moroccan Women’s Union, in the city of Assa on March 13, 2013.

Various presentations will be delivered during the meeting, including “the guarantees provided by international human rights mechanisms for the implementation of all women’s rights, in particular the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women”, “a reading of Articles 19 and 164 of the Constitution of July 1st, 2011 in view of the establishment of the authority for parity and the fight against all forms of discrimination”, “women’s rights in the Family Code”, and “women’s political participation in Morocco: the constant and the variable”.

The objective of this seminar is to introduce stakeholders to the various rights enshrined in international conventions and the developments that these mechanisms have undergone. It also seeks to enable the participants to acquire advocacy tools in order to better safeguard achievements made in this area.

This meeting is organized as part of implementing the Commission’s action plan for the year 2013, which provides for opening pluralistic public debate on ways to protect and realize human rights, including the rights of women. It also falls within the framework of executing the programs and projects of the National Human Rights Council relating to the protection and promotion of human rights in cooperation with all relevant actors at the regional level.

LAAYOUNE: TRAINING WORKSHOP ON HUMAN RIGHTS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH GENEVA INSTITUTE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

The Regional Human Rights Commission of Laayoune–Smara, jointly with the Geneva Institute for Human Rights, holds a training workshop on human rights for the benefit of members of the Commission and nongovernmental human rights organizations active in the southern provinces, over the period from March 12 to 16, 2013 in Laayoune.

Organized as part of implementing the Commission’s annual action plan and promoting the culture of human rights, the workshop will emphasize the importance of entrenching the values and principles of human rights and understanding international human rights standards as well as national, regional and international protection mechanisms, by sharing knowledge and skills and shaping behavior.

The workshop discusses the issues of peace, democracy, development, social justice and women's rights as set out in international and regional human rights instruments, and the role of civil society in raising awareness and understanding in order to enhance respect for human rights in word and deed.

The workshop aims in particular to help the participants to assimilate human rights and apply them in their working areas, and to enable them to advocate human rights and defend them, in addition to increasing their understanding of human rights and the relating mechanisms and standards.
The program includes several topics, mainly: the terms and concepts of human rights; the United Nations system for the protection of human rights; the international mechanisms for the protection of human rights; international humanitarian law; conventions on women and children; the Human Rights Council; the role of the National Human Rights Council in the protection of human rights; and the mechanisms of the Universal Periodic Review.