UN High Commissioner Hails Morocco’s Human Rights Advances

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet has commended king Mohammed VI’s role in the social and human rights fields, and welcomed Morocco’s cooperation with the UN on human rights.

Rabat – The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet has commended king Mohammed VI’s role in the social and human rights fields, and welcomed Morocco’s cooperation with the UN on human rights.

During a meeting on March 1 with Morocco’s minister of Justice Abdellatif Ouahbi, Bachelet highlighted the “pioneering role of King Mohammed VI in implementing necessary reforms to promote human rights.”

Following the meeting, Ouahbi said in a statement to Morocco’s state agency MAP that the UN High Commissioner lauded “Morocco’s efforts in strengthening social rights, particularly the rights of women, children, and the early marriage of minors.”

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 49th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Bachelet noted that Morocco is “on the right track” in terms of human rights.

Meanwhile, minister Ouahbi noted that in his meeting with Bachelet, he presented an overview of Morocco’s progress and achievements in human rights and noted the country’s role in promoting human rights in the African continent.

Morocco’s permanent Ambassador to Geneva, Omar Zniber, also attended the meeting.

On the sidelines of his participation in the 49th session of Human right Council, Ouahbi also held talks with his Gabonese Minister of Justice Erlyne Antonella Ndembet and President of the Association for the Prevention of Torture (APT) Barbara Bernath.

He also met with Director of the Geneva Center for Security Sector Governance (DCAF) Thomas Guerber, and Director General of the International Development Law Organization (IDLO) Jan Beagle.

In 2019, the UN included Morocco in the top five countries that satisfactorily implemented priority human rights recommendations from the United Nations Human Rights Committee for 2019.

Morocco signed the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights on December 16, 1996 alongside 168 other countries, pledging to respect the civil and political rights of individuals, such as the right to life, freedom of religion, and freedom of speech.