Morocco fights against discrimination and enshrines equality in the legal text and social reality (Mr. Ouahbi) – Media7

Wednesday, November 22, 2023 at 5:36 p.m.

Geneva – The Minister of Justice, Abdellatif Ouahbi, reiterated, Wednesday in Geneva, Morocco’s concern to fight against various forms of racial discrimination and to include the values ​​of equality and cultural pluralism in the legal text and the social reality.

In an intervention before the 111th session of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, on the occasion of the combined examination of the 19th to the 21st periodic reports relating to the implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Racial Discrimination forms of racial discrimination, Mr. Ouahbi noted that the Moroccan Constitution of 2011 enshrined the harmonious mixture of the tributaries of national identity and universal values, just as it recognized cultural and linguistic diversity as a social reality.

The Constitution, he added, established the reference framework relating to the prohibition and fight against all forms of discrimination, the recognition of equality between Moroccan citizens and foreign residents, as well as to the expansion of economic, social, cultural and environmental rights.

Highlighting the position of the Kingdom, as a forum for African, Eastern and Mediterranean intercultural exchanges, and homeland for the values ​​of openness, moderation, tolerance, dialogue and mutual understanding, Mr. Ouahbi noted that this privilege was established thanks to the profound historical and central position of the institution of “the Commandery of the Believers” in its symbolic, spiritual and functional dimensions, as a guarantor and fundamental pillar for the protection of guaranteed rights and freedoms. by the Constitution and international obligations.

To this end, the minister underlined the special status of the Hebrew component and the freedom with which Christians practice their religion, seeing in it a model of coexistence and intercultural exchange between the different components of Moroccan society and tangible proof of the general orientation of the State in terms of guaranteeing freedom of religion based on the values ​​of tolerance, coexistence and dialogue.

On the cultural side, Mr. Ouahbi noted that the Kingdom has adopted a new integrated cultural policy relating, in particular, to the valorization of tangible and intangible national cultural capital, the rehabilitation of public cultural property with a view to proximity and accessibility, the creation of structured cultural projects and the promotion of plural cultural production.

In this regard, the organic law was adopted and implemented establishing the stages of the implementation of the official character of the Amazigh language and the modalities of its integration in teaching and in the different priority sectors of public life, underlined the minister, noting that the royal decision to establish the Amazigh New Year as an official national holiday in Morocco is a quality initiative reflecting the deep attention the country pays to this national project.

And to specify that in accordance with this desire, permanent governance mechanisms have been created to monitor and support the implementation of an integrated plan aimed at establishing the official character of the Amazigh language, in the areas of education, legislation and regulation, parliamentary work, litigation, media and communication, as well as in various areas of cultural and artistic creativity, and the use of the Amazigh language in public life.

The Kingdom has also paid great attention to the preservation and promotion of Hassani culture and heritage, through the launch of qualitative projects, as part of the implementation of the development model specific to the southern provinces.

On this point, Mr. Ouahbi mentioned the organization of cultural festivals, support for cultural projects and associations and the activities of the Center for Hassani Studies and Research.

In the same vein, the minister reviewed the efforts to preserve, enhance and protect the Hebrew tributary of Moroccan cultural heritage, through the implementation of restoration and rehabilitation projects of a certain number of Moroccan Jewish neighborhoods and spaces, the integration of Moroccan Jewish culture and history into teaching programs from the first levels of education, the creation of memory centers and museums of Jewish culture, in addition to the implementation of programs to promote Jewish intangible cultural heritage in the craft industry.

Members of the Moroccan delegation interacted with various questions and observations from members of the UN committee, in the presence of the ambassador, permanent representative of Morocco in Geneva, Omar Zniber, and the Secretary General of the Interministerial Delegation for Human Rights (DIDH), Abdelkarim Boujradi.

They also highlighted the Kingdom’s multi-sectoral efforts and policies aimed at combating various forms of racial discrimination, particularly in vital sectors such as the justice system, national security, education, immigration and media. .