Strengthening capacity of territorial collectivities in human rights and public freedoms, a promising partnership between the CNDH and the Marrakech-Safi region

The National Human Rights Council (CNDH), represented by the National Human Rights Training Institute- Driss Benzekri (INFDH-DB) and the Marrakech-Safi Region, represented by La Maison de l’élu (the House of Elected Officials), signed a framework agreement partnership aiming at strengthening the capacity of territorial collectivities in the region.

In this context, Mr. Driss El Yazami, the CNDH Chairperson stressed that keeping pace with Moroccan society changes "requires from all of us to strengthen our capacities and to interact with those changes with a spirit of democracy and human rights values".  He also highlighted the importance of this agreement as a new pilot experience to implement the 2011 Constitution and start a participatory work with territorial collectivities and regional Councils.  It is also intended as a leading experience in the Kingdom, likely to widespread it in other regions in the future.

For his part, Mr. Ahmed Akhchichine, President of the Regional Council of Marrakech-Safi said that there is a solid relationship between the management of local public affairs and issues that intersect with human rights principles. Political parties and elected officials would not achieve their tasks optimally without being empowered with human rights and public freedoms principles, he added.

The framework agreement, signed by the CNDH Chairperson and the President of the Regional Council of Marrakech-Safi on Thursday 11 October 2018, in Marrakech, aims at strengthening the capacities of elected officials, civil servants and local actors of territorial collectivities in human rights and freedoms. Both parties committed to collaborate in several areas including continuing education, sharing good practices and documentations, joint organization of symposia, round tables and workshops on themes related to human rights, territorial justice and sustainable development..

This event was attended by Mr. Mohammed Essabbar, CNDH Secretary-General, Mr. Karim Kassi Lahlou, Governor of the Marrakech-Safi Region, Vice-Presidents of the Regional Council, elected officials, and presidents of human rights regional commissions.