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Rabat- Princess Lalla Meryem, President of the National Observatory for the Rights of the Child (ONDE), presided over the official closing ceremony of the First African Children’s Parliament Forum on Saturday at the Parliament headquarters in Rabat.
Upon her arrival, Princess Lalla Meryem reviewed a section of the Auxiliary Forces and was greeted by key Moroccan officials, including Rachid Talbi Alami, President of the House of Representatives; M’Hammed Abdennabaoui, First President of the Court of Cassation; Hicham Balaoui, Prosecutor General of the King; Mohamed Yacoubi, Wali of the Rabat-Salé-Kénitra region; and other regional and municipal leaders.
She was also welcomed by ministers, ambassadors, and heads of parliamentary institutions from Mauritania, Burundi, Djibouti, Tanzania, and Zambia.
The forum, organized by ONDE under the theme “Children’s Participation in Africa’s Development,” reflects the King’s vision for Africa, emphasizing South-South cooperation, African solidarity, and youth-centered development initiatives. During the event, Princess Lalla Meryem visited five interactive workshops attended by African and Moroccan children parliamentarians.
These workshops focused on key issues including the participation of children in public policies, educational equity and inclusion, access to healthcare and mental health, child labor, and the protection of children from street situations and early marriage. The workshops also addressed persistent inequalities, the importance of integrating mental health into public policy, and practical solutions to safeguard children’s rights.
Young participants discussed their role in shaping policies that affect them, shared experiences across the continent, and explored ways to enhance children’s contributions to national and regional decision-making.
Princess Lalla Meryem also attended video presentations highlighting Morocco’s achievements and best practices in participatory approaches involving children, as well as the progress of the African Children’s Parliament Forum.
The first edition of the African Children’s Parliament Forum, which opened on Friday, brought together over 170 distinguished guests, including presidents of national parliamentary assemblies, ministers, and other officials and institutional representatives from 28 African countries.
