Regional meeting of National Mechanisms for the prevention of torture in North Africa

The National Human Rights Council (CNDH) and the Association for the Prevention of Torture (APT) organize a regional meeting of national mechanisms for the prevention of torture (NPMs) in North Africa from 26 to 28 September 2017 in Rabat.

The purpose of this meeting is to improve the understanding of the status, mandate, organization and functioning of the NPM and to cooperate and exchange on compared experiences of NPMS in North Africa.

The meeting brings together representatives of Tunisian and Mauritanian NPMs and those of the CNDH, which is the Moroccan institution to house the NPM according to the upcoming CNDH Law currently under discussion in the parliament. This event also intended to discuss the main opportunities and challenges faced at the beginning of the existence of these emerging mechanisms and to better understand the preventive mandate.

Finally, this meeting aims to identify needs concerning exchanging and strengthening the capacity of NPMs in the region.

This event will combine plenary sessions and practical exercises using an interactive approach. In this context, members of the French and Italian NPMs are invited to share their practical experiences in implementing the mandate.

Participants will learn about the preventive mandate and its specifications, complaints treatment mechanisms, visit reporting techniques, preventive visit methodologies and interviews with administrative staff and detainees.

Morocco initiated the ratification process of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (OPCAT) on 1 November 2012 and deposited the instruments of ratification on 24 November 2014. Hence, Morocco became the 76^th State Party to OPCAT.  The latter requires, in its Article 17, the establishment of the NPM within a period not exceeding one year following the entry into force, ratification or accession of the OPCAT.

The opening session of this meeting will be held on 26 September 2017 starting at 2 pm in the auditorium of the National Library of the Kingdom of Morocco. Mr. Driss El Yazami, President of the CNDH will take part to this gathering jointly with Mr. Mustapha Ramid, Minister of State for human rights, Mrs. Barbara Bernath, Head of Operations of the APT in Geneva and Mr. Massimo Baggi, ambassador of Switzerland in Morocco.

This meeting will continue on 27 and 28 September 2017 at the CNDH’s National Human Rights Training Institute- Driss Benzekri.

To sum up:

Event: Regional meeting for National Mechanisms for the prevention of torture in North Africa

Time and venue: 26 September 2017 starting at 2 pm in the auditorium of the National Library of the Kingdom of Morocco

Media contact: Abdelghani Berdi +2126 62 76 23 25 / a.berdi@cndh.org.ma

CNDH participate in the first edition of the Maghreb Book Fair in Oujda

The National Human Rights Council (CNDH) participates in the Maghreb Book Fair in Oujda on “Maghrebian Literature”. This exhibition will be held from 21 to 24 September 2017 at the Grand Theatre Mohammed VI in Oujda.

This event is organized by the Oriental Agency, the Oriental Regional Council and the Wilaya, and supported by other partners including the CNDH. It is the first edition of the Maghreb Book Fair entitled Dire la jeunesse, écrire l’espoir “Speaking about youth, writing hope”.

The CNDH will hold an exhibition stall, which will present various publications of the Council and will interact directly with the public around issues related to its missions.

Driss El Yazami, President of the CNDH, will take part in the round table on “Maghreb youth: Living here or dreaming elsewhere” in the morning of 22 September 2017.

More than 200 intellectuals will take part in this Book Fair exhibition, coming from five countries of the Maghreb, from Europe and especially from Africa, including Senegal, as a guest of honour. Poets, novelists, storytellers, playwright or visual artists, regional and national institutions, book publishing and distribution professionals will moderate roundtables on youth.

Presentations and book signings, film screenings, writing workshops and poetic readings are also part of the program of the Book Fair.

To sum up:

Activity: First edition of the Maghreb Book Fair

Time and venue: from 21 to 24 September 2017 at the Grand Theatre Mohammed VI in Oujda

Media contact: Communication department: Abdelghani Berdi +212 6 62 76 23 25/ a.berdi@cndh.org.ma

CNDH participates in the 18th session of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

The delegation of the National Human Rights Council of Morocco (CNDH) participates in the proceedings of the 18^th session of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (Committee) which takes place from August 14^th to 31^st, 2017 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

During this session, the Committee examines measures taken by Morocco to implement the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) on August 16^th and 17^th, 2017. Throughout this first interactive dialogue, the CNDH recalls its opinions and recommendations aiming to protect and promote the rights of persons with disabilities, including the right to an inclusive education, social protection, employment and employability, legal capacity and the implementation of Article 33 of the CRPD.

The CNDH took part in the 7^th pre-session of the Committee held on March 15^th, 2017 where a list of issues was discussed by the stakeholders before the review of the initial report of Morocco on the implementation of the UN Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities.

The Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is the Body of independent experts which monitors the implementation of the Convention by the States Parties. All States parties are obliged to submit regular reports to the Committee on how the rights are being implemented. States must report initially within two years of accepting the Convention and thereafter every four years. The Committee examines each report and shall make such suggestions and general recommendations on the report as it may consider appropriate, and shall forward these to the State Party concerned.

Opening Statement of the National Human Rights Council of Morocco at the 18^th session of Committee of the Rights of People with disabilities

Geneva, August 16^th, 2017

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, Committee members, Honourable Minister, representatives from the Moroccan delegation, representatives of Moroccan civil society,

It is an honour for me to take part, in the name of the National Human Rights Council of Morocco (CNDH), in this high level dialogue to submit to the Committee the CNDH’s opinions and recommendations on the situation of persons with disabilities in the Kingdom of Morocco.

The CNDH is a national independent institution accredited with “A” status by the Global Alliance of National human rights Institutions (GANHRI). With 13 regional commissions, the CNDH monitors the protection and the promotion of human rights in Morocco.

Bearing in mind the written replies of the Government of Morocco to the list of issues, the CNDH wishes that its contribution will provide additional information and serve as a reference point for the Committee while drafting its concluding observations.

The council welcomes the approval of the Interministrial Commission, on the 17^th of July 2017, to implement the strategies and programs within the National Action Plan 2017- 2021 on the promotion of the rights of persons with disabilities. The Council wishes that the implementation of its provisions will be reflected in the Finance Law 2018.

Having considered all of the various thematic studies and legal text examinations, and also having handled complaints on allegations of violations of the rights of persons with disabilities, the council wishes to bring to the attention of the committee that despite undeniable progress in Morocco, there is still a lot to be done to ensure an effective and equal enjoyment of the rights of all persons with disabilities in terms of access to education, employment, and social protection particularly.

Despite the fact that we now have the right to an inclusive education enshrined in the constitution, the CNDH notes with concern that persons with disabilities still face great difficulties and barriers in their access to education, particularly in school registration procedures, support measures such as assistance within schools, and reasonable accommodation. This is why the council would advocate the adoption of an inclusive education policy for all persons with disabilities with no exclusion on the grounds of any type or degree of impairment. The sustainable development goals should be taken into consideration, particularly target 4.5[1].

In terms of employment and employability of persons with disabilities, the council calls for a cross-cutting integration within the provision of the forthcoming financial law: measures and indicators relating to the inclusion of persons with disabilities in employment in the public and private sectors.

The council wishes to draw the attention of the Committee to the situation of women with disabilities that suffer double discrimination and who are not a priority in different policies and programmes for women.

Families of persons with disabilities particularly who are in a precarious situation, are suffering from violating their rights, as are their children. They are generally entirely responsible for meeting the additional financial costs resulting from the disability of their children.

The CNDH notes with concern that despite the existence of social protection, the range of care and services which is offered does not meet the needs of persons with disabilities.

Prisons and detention facilities should take into consideration the situation of persons with disabilities, particularly the accessibility and access to information that protect their rights during their detention[2] in all places of deprivation of liberty.

The Council regrets that the second national survey on disability published in April 2015 by the Ministry of family, solidarity, equality and social development did not include data on the population of detainees and prisoners with disabilities or persons with disabilities that are in social protection centres.

The Council notes that the limitation of legal capacity on the grounds of disability within Moroccan law is still a major barrier for persons with intellectual disabilities or visual impairments when it comes to managing their financial or administrative affairs.

The CNDH would also like to point out that the draft law relating to its reorganisation, and that recognises the council’s competency to act as an independent protection mechanism, to promote and monitor the Convention[3], will be adopted at the next parliamentary session.

The CNDH reiterates its admiration and respect to the committee members and hopes that this constructive dialogue will help bring about the convention’s implementation in our country.

Thank you.

CNDH hands archives of Independent Arbitration Commission over to national archives institution

The National Human Rights Council (CNDH) and the Archives of Morocco will organize on July 24, 2017, starting at 4 p.m., at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities of Rabat, a ceremony to hand the archives of the Independent Arbitration Commission for the Compensation for Victims of Enforced Disappearance and Arbitrary Detention (1999-2003) over to the national archives institution.

The Independent Arbitration Commission was set up after His Majesty the King approved an opinion by the Advisory Council on Human Rights. With nine eminent jurists and personalities on board, the Commission started on 16 August 1999 its mandate to compensate victims of enforced disappearance and arbitrary detention. It submitted its final report on November 30, 2003, after handling 5,127 applications and receiving 6,500 out-of-delay applications. Its action was a major step in the process of transitional justice in Morocco, pursued in 2004 by the Equity and Reconciliation Commission.

The ceremony will also witness the signature of a cooperation agreement between the CNDH and Archives of Morocco and a roundtable discussion, with the former members of the commission, on the outcome of the Independent Arbitration Commission.

This initiative aims at both contributing to the preservation of the national collective memory and laying foundations for the scientific writing of the history of Morocco. The archives will be handed-over to the national archives institution, in compliance with the provisions of Law 69-99 on archives, promulgated on 30 November 2007. The law itself was promulgated in implementation of a recommendation by the Equity and Reconciliation Commission. It defines archives and provides for how they should be organized, for public archives communication, and for the organization of Archives of Morocco.

In February 2017, the CNDH started a project to reorganize the transitional justice archives, to hand them over to Archives of Morocco, in two phases. The first phase concerns the archives of the Independent Arbitration Commission and the second concerns the Equality and Reconciliation Commission.

In the first phase, 5400 files of the Independent Arbitration Commission were handled and re-organized, put into 241 special archival and storage boxes, ready to be handed over to Archives of Morocco.

The archives of the Equality and Reconciliation Commission will be handed over to the national archives institution later this year.

Download the program

Tunisia: Regional workshop on preventing violent extremism

Secretary General of the National Human Rights Council of Morocco (CNDH), Mr. Mohamed Essabbar, will participate, on 10 and 11 July 2017 in Tunisia, in a regional workshop on preventing violent extremism.

This event is organized by the Arab Network of National Human Rights Institutions (ANNHRI) and the United Nations Human Rights Training and Documentation Centre for South and West Asia and the Arab Region, in cooperation with the High authority for Human Rights & Fundamental Liberties in Tunisia And the Arab Institute for Human Rights (AIHR).

The purpose of this workshop is to highlight the various complexities related to the phenomenon of violent extremism. It also aims to review efforts, studies and recommendations on this phenomenon made by international human rights mechanisms.

The program of this event will focus on the following subjects:

• Review of the UN Secretary General’s Plan to prevent violent extremism
• Respect for human rights in the context of countering violent extremism
• Review of UN initiative on “faith for rights”
• Educational and cultural policy to counter violent  extremism
• The study on the needs of national human rights institutions to play their role in the prevention of violent extremism.

Mr. Essabbar will present the experience of the CNDH as a national human rights institution on the protection and promotion of human rights. He will particularly focus on education, training, and a series of memorandums and advisory opinions on the relevant bills.

Marrakech: Training session for trainers on gender, climate and SDGs

In partnership with Women engage for a common Future (WECF), the National Agency for Energy Efficiency and the Development of Renewable Energy (ADEREE) and the Heinrich Böll Foundation, the National Human Rights Council of Morocco (CNDH) will organize the second training session of trainers on gender, climate and sustainable development goals (SDGs). It will take place from 10 to 12 July 2017 at the Green platform of the ADEREE in Marrakech, Morocco.

This training session is a part of a capacity-building program (2017-2020) for civil society on gender, climate and SDGs, launched by the CNDH and WECF in January 2017 following the COP22.

Around twenty participants will take part in this session. This training session aims to enable the participants to master energy efficiency solutions (understand their technical functioning, manufacturing modalities and installation) and to understand how these technologies are/may be adapted to the rural population, especially women in associations, cooperatives and other structures.

In addition to the theoretical and technical part that aims to understand energy efficiency in all its aspects, this training session will schedule case studies, demonstration project and visits. It will be facilitated by a group of trainers from ADEREE and representative from WECF who will focus on gender analysis tools.

The first module of this program covered the theme “Gender, climate change and Agenda 2030, global vision and concepts” took place from 16 to 19 January 2017 at the CNDH’s training institute in Rabat, Morocco.

Press release

Some media have been reporting news on the publication of the report of the National Human Rights Council of Morocco (CNDH) on the allegations of torture suffered by certain detainees of Al Hoceima’s protest movement. In order to clarify any ambiguity in this respect, the CNDH provides the following clarifications:

1.     The CNDH is surprised at the partial leaking of the document that has been addressed exclusively and keenly to the concerned party;

2.     The one-sided exploitation of certain excerpts from an internal document has led to deductions that are not drawn up by the two expert doctors appointed by the CNDH to find tangible proof of torture of all detainees who were examined and listened to by them.

3.     The work carried out by the two expert doctors is a part of the Council’s means of work to complete its reports on such events.

Therefore, these reports are not final, and they do not represent the position of the Council and its conviction based on the investigations, research, interviews and examinations carried out by its teams on the ground.

4.     The Council confirms that the work done by the experts has been placed at the disposal of the competent authority to take legal and appropriate measures.  The Council cannot, morally and legally, encroach upon the competence of the judiciary, as recommended by the experts;

5.     The Council considers that the conclusions and recommendations of the comprehensive and final report on the events of Al Hoceima and its repercussions are the only reference to the assessment of the different processes of all events in all dimensions and stages with impartiality, objectivity and responsibility, as the Council has always done in all its reports.

CNDH hosts a course on Business and Human rights

The National Human Rights Council of Morocco (CNDH) hosts a course on Business and Human Rights blended learning for NANHRI from 3 to 5 July 2017 at its training institute in Rabat, Morocco. This event is held in partnership with the Danish Institute For Human Rights (DIHR), the Network of African National Human Rights Institutions (NANHRI) and the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI), with the support of the European Union.

Since October 2015, the CNDH has been chair of the GANHRI working group on business and human rights. This course build on e-learning conducted there hand to provide participants with initial information on business and human rights and to train them on potential roles of NHRIs.

The course is facilitated by the DIHR.  19 African national human rights institutions will take part at this training session: Morocco, Burundi, Senegal, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Burkina Faso, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Mauritania, Cameron, Zambia, Uganda, Algeria, Malawi, Niger, Mali, and Kenya.

To be noted that the CNDH has already organized two training sessions on business and human rights. The first one was organized in September 2015, in partnership with the Francophone Association of National Human Rights Commissions (AFCNDH), International Organization of la Francophonie (IOF) and the CNDH, on “the role of NHRIs in implementing the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights”. The second one was held in partnership with the DIHR in March 2016 on “facilitate access to remedies for business human rights violations: the role of NHRIs”.

Business and human rights issues has been the subject of increased attention over the last years and a major challenge to the stakeholders working on the protection of human rights including who are involved in encouraging companies and their activities to be in conformity with the principle of social and environmental responsibility and respect for human rights.

National Human Rights Council names its human rights training institute after renowned human rights defender late Driss Benzekri

The National Human Rights Council (CNDH) will name its Rabat-based National Human Rights Training Institute (INFDH) after the late Driss Benzekri, at an official ceremony on July 5th, 2017; a tribute to a human rights defender who left his mark on the history of human rights in Morocco, ten years after he passed away.

Driss Benzekri was a founding member of the Moroccan Forum for Truth and Justice, and Secretary General of the former Advisory Council on Human Rights. In November 2003, he was appointed to chair Morocco’s truth committee (the Equity and Reconciliation Commission) which investigated human rights violations between 1956 and 1999.

Following his work at the Moroccan truth committee, which submitted its final report to His Majesty King Mohammed VI in January 2006, Driss Benzekri was appointed chairman of the Advisory Council on Human Rights (1990-2011) to follow up on the implementation of the committee’s recommendations. He passed away on May, 20th 2007 and was buried in his hometown Aït Ouahi, northwest of Morocco.

The CNDH created the INFDH in 2015 to build the capacities of stakeholders working for the protection and promotion of human rights. Over the past two years, more than 80 training sessions were organized for around 2,000 participants (including staff and members of many national human rights institutions from the MENA region and Africa). These trainings primarily focused on the international human rights system, the national mechanism for the prevention of torture, the rights of the child, disability rights, gender equality, migrations, observation of elections, climate justice, discrimination, participatory democracy, corporate social responsibility, the right to fair trial, etc.

Jointly with Moroccan partners (ministries, parliaments, the Moroccan prison administration (the General Delegation of the Penitentiaries and Reinsertion Administration), NGOs, Bar associations, etc., several trainings were implemented through partnerships with UN agencies (UNICEF, UNESCO, UNHCR, IOM, etc.), the European Union delegation, international foundations and NGOs, or within the framework of bilateral cooperation.

CNDH President Driss El Yazami will chair the ceremony, on July, 5th 2017, starting at 6 p.m. at the headquarters of the INFDH training institute, in Rabat, Morocco. Several high ranking officials and public figures, academicians, civil society activists, and high-level representatives of diplomatic corps and international cooperation institutions will attend the ceremony. Close family members, relatives and friends of the late Driss Benzekri will be present at this event.

The training institute will keep open house on the morrow, Thursday July 6th 2017, from 10 a.m. till 6 p.m., giving free access to civil society associations, partners (staff and members), journalists, etc. to visit the facilities of the institute.

Media contact

Abdelghani Berdi:               +212 6 62 76 23 25               a.berdi@cndh.org.ma

Participation of persons with disabilities in political and public life: 10th session of the Conference of States Parties to the CRPD

The tenth session of the Conference of the States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with disabilities (CRPD) will be held from 13 to 15 June 2017 in New York. On the sideline of this session, the Permanent Mission of Morocco to the United Nations in partnership with the National Human Rights Council (CNDH) and the Collective for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Morocco, organized a side event on “the participation of persons with disabilities in political and public life”.

The purpose of this side event is to recall that “the promotion of active political participation of persons with disabilities remains dependent on their political inclusion”. In this regard, elections are an essential step for the participation of all citizens in building democratic construction and contributing to the management of local affairs.

This event is an opportunity for the CNDH and NGOs to exchange their experiences on political empowerment of persons with disabilities.

The tenth session of the Conference of States Parties to the CRPD is organized under the theme “The Second Decade of the CRPD: Inclusion and full participation of persons with disabilities and their representative organizations in the implementation of the Convention” and will highlight the following themes:

• Addressing the impact of multiple discrimination on persons with disabilities and promoting their participation and multi-stakeholder partnerships for achieving the SDGs in line with the CRPD;
• Inclusion and full participation of persons with disabilities in humanitarian action;
• Promoting inclusive urban development and implementation of the New Urban Agenda- Habitat III.

Speakers at this side event:

• Mr. Abdelmajid Makni, Member, CNDH of Morocco and Collective for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Morocco
• Ms. Jahda Abou khalil, Secretary, Arab Organization for Persons with Disabilities
• Mr. Khalid Ramli, Human rights Officer, CNDH, Morocco