United Nations Ad Hoc committee reviewed Morocco’s reports on its implementation of the Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. Morocco’s delegation pointed out its efforts it has made for elimination of gender based differences at the meeting in Geneva.. Women in Morocco have made significant advances in terms of equality in economic and social rights. Committee Chairperson, Dubravka Simonovic praised Morocco’s progress and said Morocco will achieve gender equality soon.
Minister of Social Development, Family and Solidarity, Nouzha Skalli discussed her optimism in the strides that Morocco has made since 1993. She talked about the reservations Morocco has lifted from the two previous reports. The successfulchanges are concerned about the harmonization of domestic laws to international conventions and speeding up the reform of the Family Code, establishing a limit to provisions of discrimination in terms of legal rights, accelerating ratification of citizenship laws and reforming labor and criminal law.
Naima Ben Yahia, Director of Women, Family, and Childhood Affairs in the Ministry, said the findings included in the last two reports are products of extensive efforts made by women’s associations in Morocco. A country that is working for a society that looks forward to justice, equality and democracy.
The two June 2006 reports consist of three parts. The first section covers reforms to promote the defense of human rights through democracy and the rule of law. These reforms have taken the form of restructuring the Advisory Council for Human Rights and the creation of Grievances Board, the Royal Institute for Morocco’s Amazigh Culture and the Authority for Equity and Conciliation.
The second section addresses articles related to combating violence against women; changing women’s and men’s social and behavioral norms; combating the exploitation of women; equality in Morocco politics and public life on the national and international levels; laws governing citizenship, Morocco education, work and health, social security, rights of rural women and child labor. The last section includes monitoring of Morocco’s implementation of previous recommendations.
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by Carole Morris
