Presenting Morocco's declaration under Item 2 of the Agenda, the Ambassador, Permanent Representative of the Kingdom in Geneva, Omar Zniber, underlined Morocco's unwavering commitment to further consolidate the achievements made in the field of human rights, as well as the great interest given to the dimension of human rights in the implementation of the various development strategies in the country.
Zniber said, in this regard, that while managing the COVID-19 pandemic, Morocco, relying on its own capacities, has adopted a balanced strategy reconciling the measures aimed at containing the pandemic and mitigating its social and economic impact on the one hand, and international commitments in the field of human rights on the other.
Thus, Morocco, which has made significant efforts to ensure access to healthcare, has launched its national vaccination campaign, which is taking place under the best conditions, and benefits, free of charge, all Moroccans and all foreigners residing in the country, including refugees and migrants, he pointed out.
Aware of the interdependence between health and other human rights, Morocco adopted, on February 11, a framework law aimed at the generalization, by 2025, of the social protection for all Moroccans, said the diplomat, noting that the implementation of this law goes through four axes with specific deadlines, in this case the generalization of compulsory health insurance, at the end of 2022, for the benefit of 22 million additional people, and the generalization of family allowances during the years 2023 and 2024 for the benefit of families which do not yet benefit from them.
It also concerns broadening the base of pension plan members to include around 5 million people who are employed and do not benefit from any pension by 2025, and the generalization of compensation for loss of employment during the year 2025 to cover anyone with a stable job.
In addition, and to further strengthen its interaction and cooperation with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Morocco, in addition to the submission of several reports to the various treaty bodies, and contribution to the various mechanisms, has issued invitations to mandate holders, the most recent of which was sent to the Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation, to visit Morocco in July 2021, he said.
At the local level, and with a view to anchoring the culture of human rights, tolerance, citizenship and living together among students, a framework cooperation and partnership agreement was signed at the beginning of this month, between the National Human Rights Council and the ministry of Education, aimed at promoting the values of human rights in schools and universities, he added.
And in order to further strengthen the involvement of women in the management of religious affairs in Morocco, and after having taken up the challenge of feminizing the profession of Adouls (notary under Muslim law), seven new female appointments were made at the level of the Higher Council of Ulemas in Morocco, hence strengthening the participation of women in the management of religious affairs, Zniber added.
The Human Rights Council is an inter-governmental body within the United Nations system made up of 47 States responsible for the promotion and protection of all human rights around the globe.
It has the ability to discuss all thematic human rights issues and situations that require its attention throughout the year. It meets at the UN Office at Geneva.