National committee set up to handle migrants’ regularization appeals and grievances

A national follow-up and appeal committee was set up to handle appeals and reexamine regularization applications submitted by irregular migrants to the provincial committees. The establishment ceremony was held at CNDH’s office in Rabat, on Thursday June 26th 2014.

The National Committee was set up in implementation of the new migration policy, and in follow-up to the special process that started earlier this year, aiming at the regularization of irregular migrants’ administrative situations in Morocco.

The Committee’s criteria will be based primarily on the Constitution, international human rights law, and international and asylum migration law. It will also take a human approach.

It will regularly assess progress of the special regularization process, make proposals likely to improve this process, and examine grievances and appeals of migrants applying for regularization. It is also entitled to make proposals and give opinions regarding the integration of regularized migrants and to sensitize educate Moroccans about migration and asylum issues.

The national appeal and follow-up committee will be chaired by the CNDH. Representatives of ministries of foreign affairs, the interior, Moroccans living abroad and migration affairs and of employment and social affairs, and the Inter-ministerial department for human rights will sit in the Committee.

The Committee also includes civil society stakeholders and the following qualified persons: Ms Khadija Marouazi, Secretary General of the Mediator for Democracy and Human Rights (civil society association), Aminata Pagny, lawyer (Ivorian), Myriem Khrouz, journalist and member of the CNDH, Amina Bouaayach, Secretary General of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Mr. Ali Lotfi, Secretary General of the Democratic Labour Organization (ODT), Mr. Constantin Ibanda Mola, Chairman of the Council of Sub-Saharan Migrants in Morocco (Congolese), Mr. Kamal Lahbib, Vice-president of the Moroccan Forum of Alternatives, Mr. Abdallah Saaf, Director of the Centre for Studies and Research in Social Sciences (CERSS), Mr. Mehdi Alioua researcher and professor at the International University of Rabat, and Mr. Hichem Rashidi, Secretary General of the Anti-Racist Group to Defend Foreigners and Migrants (or Gadem, from its French name).

On the sidelines of the establishment ceremony, the Ministry of Moroccans Living Abroad and Migration Affairs signed 12 agreements with migration civil society associations. Agreements were also signed with the Ministry of National Education and Vocational Training, the Ministry of Solidarity, Women, Family and Social Development, the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Office of Vocational Training and Labour Promotion (OFPPT).

Through the implementation of the 12 agreements, associations and civil society organizations will contribute to the integration policy targeting regularized migrants and asylum seekers recognized as refugees. The agreements signed with the other ministries aimed at awareness-raising, fighting all forms of discrimination, support to civil society associations, partnership, citizenship and tolerance values, diversity and non-discrimination education in school curricula, etc.

Minister-Delegate for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, M'Barka Bouida, Minister of Solidarity, Women, Family and Social Development, Bassima El Hakkaoui, Minister-Delegate for the Interior, Cherki Draiss, Minister of Youth and Sports, Mohamed Ouzine, Inter-ministerial Delegate for Human Rights, Mahjoub El Haiba, and OFPPT Director General, Laarbi Bencheikh, took part in the establishment ceremony.