Rabat – The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has congratulated a young Moroccan, Hatim Aznague, for his appointment as regional focal point to the United Nations Major Group for Children and Youth (MGCY) in the Middle East, North Africa, and Western Asia.
The MGCY is an official and self-organized United Nations mechanism that enables young individuals to participate in the United Nations. The group also engages formal and informal communities in UN-related activities.
UNFPA’s congratulatory message follows Aznague’s experience leading the Sustainable Development’s Youth organization in Morocco. His work in the roles of founder and president involved simulating UN mechanisms and working on initiatives regarding Agenda 2030.
Azangue first launched the Sustainable Development Youth’s organization to promote the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) by identifying adaptable development solutions for all regions in Morocco. The SDGs comprise 17 objectives to achieve a more prosperous future for all, leaving no one behind.
The young diplomat received a UN SDG Action Mobilizer Award in 2018 for his work engaging Moroccan youth in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
UNFPA pledges its support to the new regional coordinator, especially in his objective regarding SDG 5: Gender Equality. Aznague will monitor and review this objective by leading the coordination of the working group and its participation in the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), in addition to other equality-related issues in gender and development.
The UN population agency operates in 150 countries including Morocco, collecting demographic data to map community trends and develop policies to ensure sustainable and inclusive development.
Morocco witnessed UNFPA’s contribution during the COVID-19 state of emergency in the form of several initiatives, including operation SALAMA to protect vulnerable women against the risk of COVID-19 infection.
The first phase of the operation targeted pregnant women and local health professionals, especially midwives.
In this initiative UNFPA worked with Moroccan government institutions and NGOs to distribute medical and hygiene kits as a preventive measure against the spread of the virus, also mobilizing campaigns to raise awareness about the pandemic.
The second phase of the SALAMA operation came with the objective of protecting individuals with special needs against the risk of COVID-19 infection.
Similar to the first phase, the SALAMA kits benefited social protection establishments in Rabat, Casablanca, Fez, and Tangier.
