MR. EL YAZAMI: CNDH IS REQUIRED TO CONTRIBUTE TO IMPLEMENTATING NEW CONSTITUTION’S POROVISIONS IN THE FIELD OF HUMAN RIGHTS

The (Moroccan) National Human Rights Council (CNDH) held its first ordinary session on Wednesday, October 5th, 2011 at its headquarters in Rabat. This is the first session of the Council after its creation on March 1, 2011. Several points were scheduled during this gathering, mainly the discussion of the draft rules of procedure and CNDH plan of action related to the observation of the upcoming parliamentary elections, due on November 25th, 2011.

CNDH President Mr. Driss El Yazami said that CNDH members were chosen through a consultative approach to ensure representation of the Moroccan civil society associations. More than 200 associations were consulted, he added, indicating that there was an objective to feminize the Council’s structure.

The Council was created within a framework of accelerated political and institutional reforms, which led to the adoption of the new Constitution, he said. The newly adopted Fundamental Law guarantees, expressly, full respect for human rights as they are universally recognized.

Mr. El Yazami indicated that the Council is called to contribute, within this institutional framework, to the implementation of the new Constitution’s provisions in the field of human rights, the implementation of the national plan of action in the field of democracy and human rights, encourage civil society to be a permanent partner of the Council, strengthen cooperation with the different partners concerned with good governance and all public stakeholders and ensure the strengthening of policy coherence in the field of human rights.

CNDH president indicated that the Council will take the expectations of the young Moroccans and women as a strategic area of its plan of action.

For his part, Mr. Mohammed Essabbar, CNDH Secretary General, briefed the newly appointed members on the provisions of CNDH creating law and its broader mandate in the promotion and protection of human rights in addition to the enrichment of reflection and debate on human rights and democracy. He explained that the Council has now a reinforced pluralism and independence and a consolidated outreach policy in the promotion and protection of human rights, through its regional human rights commissions.

Mr. Essebbar shed light on the draft rules of procedure of the Council. He introduced the various articles of this document which includes a number of provisions that govern the work of the Council and its missions, prerogatives of the president and the secretary general, the regional commissions, the permanent working groups, the annual report and the outcome, the national human rights award, the administration and financial management, etc.

Mr. El Yazami and Mr. Essabbar held a meeting, on the same day, with the presidents of the regional commissions. They discussed several points, including the human and financial resources necessry for the functioning of these commissions, their structure, the regional observatories of human rights and the work agenda of the commission in the short term.