Ms. Amina Bouayach, Chairperson of the National Human Rights Council (CNDH), highlighted, in her opening statement on the occasion of the national symposium on “Emerging Cities in Morocco: Human Rights Prospects and Challenges” held on Wednesday 12  July 2023, in Rabat, Morocco, that territorial disparities hinder the effectiveness and enjoyment of human rights…

She also stressed that the establishment of human rights enabling-environment cities stems mainly from the right to the city, given that the implementation of this right reflects the extent of the fulfilment of economic, social, cultural and environmental rights.

CNDH Chairperson added that the right to the city is comprehensive right. It is connected to access to the right to housing, health, education, water, a healthy environment, services and public facilities, decent life and equal opportunities.

Within the same context, she emphasized that we need intelligent and human rights-based urban planning to create inclusive, safe, affordable, resilient and sustainable cities.

For his part, Mr. Mustapha Merizak, Coordinator of the CNDH Standing Committee on Promoting Human Rights Culture and Democratic Construction, stressed that this symposium is a prelude to discussing the multiple approaches to cities since they are a "living organism and a human condition" that concern all segments of society.

He also called for these cities to be self-reliant and independent. He shed light on the importance that these cities guarantee a decent life for all and ensure the effectiveness of human rights, particularly at the level of education, health, employment, housing, and environment.

Several institutional and non-institutional stakeholders, researchers and experts in urban planning discussed the impact of the “Villes Nouvelles” (New Cities) program on urban public policies in Morocco. They debated on urban planning issues relating mainly to the importance of human rights and the role of youth, women, technologies in emerging cities, measures to keep pace with urban development, succeeding the transition towards sustainable cities, the concept of new cities in Morocco, etc