Country Profile of Morocco - International Bureau of Children's Rights

The Children
of Morocco
Children in Morocco have very limited room for expression
and participation. The community and family often
believe that children do not have the ‘intellectual’ background
and maturity to make decisions about their lives
and to give their opinion.
In recent years, however, various social reforms implemented
by the government and with strong support from
civil society have created new spheres of expression for
children. A National Action Plan dedicated to childhood
was launched and a National Observatory for Child
Rights put in place. Likewise, a Child Parliament was created
and Protection Units for children in difficult circumstances
were opened in several cities in the country. Local
NGOs have invested in campaigns to make children aware
of their rights.
These local NGOs are also supporting children and their
families through various economic, social and administrative
programmes.
1. The Convention on the Rights of the
Child and its Optional Protocols
i.
17
General Overview
Morocco signed the CRC on 26 June 1990 and ratified it
in 1993. The first Protocol on the involvement of children
in armed conflict was ratified on 22 May 2002 (by being
published in the Official Gazette) and the second Protocol
on the sale of children, child prostitution and child
pornography was ratified
on 4 March 2004 through
the same means.
In addition to the State
Periodic Report submitted
by Morocco in 2003,
two alternative reports
have been submitted. One
report submitted by Espace
Associatif (a network of
associations) was reviewed
on 19 June 2003 during the
33 rd session of the Committee.
The other report for
“In recent years,
various social
reforms implemented
by the government
and with strong
support from civil society
have created new
spheres of expression
for children.”
the Optional Protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution
and child pornography was submitted by Terre
des hommes and reviewed on 27 January 2006, during the
41 st session.
Since its last State Report and the Committee on the
Rights of the Child’s latest Concluding Observations, Morocco
has implemented a number of actions and strategies
in line with the recommendations made by the Committee.
Morocco has worked to strengthen the “coordination
of actions in the area of the rights of children through
partnerships developed with civil society institutions”. 36
Many institutions promoting children’s rights were established,
such as the National Observatory for Child Rights
(Observatoire National des Droits de l’Enfant, hereafter
NOCR), as well as the Child, Family and Elderly Division.
These changes have led to profound changes in the
institutional and legislative spheres.
The CRC was published 21 November 1996 in the Official
Gazette. 37 In addition to informing people about the
Convention, this action resulted in the precedence of the
international legal instrument over national legislation.