On the occasion of World Refugee Day, the National Human Rights Council (CNDH) reiterates its call to accelerate the adoption of Bill n° 66-17 on asylum and the conditions for granting it to guarantee the effective recognition of refugee status, in light of constitutional provisions and principles of the Global Compact on Refugees. The CNDH also recommends strengthening respect for the principle of non-refoulment of asylum seekers and reducing the authorities' margin of appreciation regarding repatriation decisions to ensure their rights as refugees.

The CNDH also reiterates its recommendations relating to migration and asylum included in its report on the human rights situation in Morocco for the year 2019. It calls for enhancing the framework relating to this category and strengthening guarantees to promote their social and economic rights.

The protection of refugees is a priority in the CNDH’s action strategy as part of the concept of  the effectiveness of rights. It is a strategy that we translate into monitoring, protection, and promotion actions. We also interpret it through national dynamics and regional and international initiatives that we have shared as president of the Working Group on Migration to the Network of African National Human Rights Institutions (NANHRI) and active member of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI), as well as the Arab Network of National Human Rights Institutions, noted Ms. Amina Bouayach, CNDH Chairperson.

Advocacy and strengthening the protection and promotion of the rights of refugees are among the initiatives undertaken in partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. This includes the right to education, the right to civil registration, the right to access health services (including the right to health coverage), the right to work and the protection of the rights of migrant workers, the right to housing and accommodation, etc.

These efforts also include building the capacities of actors concerned, particularly through the Rabat-Driss Benzekri Institute for Human Rights. Among the latest event organized in this context, the online training session on the "Entry, stay and asylum: rights and practices" which took place on 17 and 18 June 2020. NGOs working in the migration and asylum field took part in this session to strengthen their capacities in the field of protection of foreigners’ rights, including refugees and asylum seekers.

The world is celebrating World Refugee Day (June 20) this year under the theme "Everyone can act and every action counts”. It aims to remind the world that everyone, including refugees, can contribute to the effort to create a more just and equal world. The pandemic that the world has been experiencing for months has perhaps shown, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the need to fight for a more inclusive and equal world...