n Friday 24 June 2022 in Tanger, Morocco, the Regional Human Rights Commission of the Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima Region (CRDH) organized a round table entitled: “Children in difficult conditions in the Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima Region: What protection?”.

Participants addressed the most significant issues related to children exposed to various types of danger, abuse, violence and sexual exploitation (children in street situations, children with disabilities, children in conflict with the law, children placed in social welfare institutions, children migrant in irregular situations and unaccompanied, children victims of early marriage and school dropout, etc.).

At the opening session of this meeting, Mrs. Soulma Taoud, CRDH President, stressed the importance of ensuring that the children shall grow up in a sound family environment as stipulated in the Moroccan Constitution in Chapter 32 and the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

She also emphasized the fundamental and essential role of the State in ensuring the social and economic rights of the family to ensure its unity and stability.

Mrs. Taoud underlined the roles of the CRDH in protecting children, including monitoring violations through the media, receiving communications on violations from civil society/CRDH members, receiving complaints, and addressing them in cooperation with the relevant institutions.

Within the same context, participants noted the absence of social welfare institutions respecting international standards. They called for implementing the principle of non-impunity for all those proven responsible for the exploitation of children. They also recommended promoting the education of children with disabilities and adopting alternative punishments instead of intensive placement in institutions of deprivation of liberty, etc.

Mr. Hicham Maich, Deputy Public Prosecutor at the Court of Appeal in Tanger, Mrs. Aicha Khidani, Mrs. Fatima Zahra Moussaoui, Director of the Child Protection Center in Tanger, and Mr. Tayeb Bouchiba, Coordinator of Matqisch Weldi Organization, took part in this meeting.

Stakeholders representing the judiciary and government working on children issues (education, health, youth and sports... ), researchers, civil society associations, and media professionals also contributed to this public debate.