The 72nd anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights coincides with the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the National Human Rights Institution (NHRI) in Morocco. This institution has founded, discreetly during three decades, major human rights transformations. Plus, it has always been at the core of the fundamental reforms in Morocco and the human rights process and its development.

Amina Bouayach, Chairperson of the National Human Rights Council (CNDH) declares this process provided appropriate conditions for Morocco to adhere voluntarily to the international and the United Nations human rights system. It also presented an unprecedented interaction between the supreme will of the state and the human rights movement to read the past and anticipate the future (…).

It is a process that started with the establishment of the Advisory Human Rights Council on May 8, 1990, following the decision of Morocco to be one of the first countries to establish an NHRI. Hence, the CNDH became one of the oldest NHRI in the world.

During the 30 years human rights process, the National Institution underwent three essential reform milestones. On every occasion, these reforms strengthened the roles of the Council and enhanced its mandate and independence before transforming its fundamental competencies in 2018. In addition to its traditional competencies related to protecting and promoting human rights and its territorial and regional competencies, the Council, in its current mandate, is hosting the roles of the National Mechanism for the Prevention of Torture, the National Redress Mechanism for Children Victims of Human Rights Violations, and the National Mechanism for the Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. These mechanisms were established as part of Morocco's completion of the protection of the human rights system and the implementation of its international obligations under the three relevant treaties ratified by the Kingdom.

The momentum of this eventful process enabled the institution to develop innovative approaches and strategies for protecting and promoting human rights. After this last reform in 2018, the institution moved to greater and more comprehensive levels, especially with the adoption of the triple “P” approach by the CNDH’s General Assembly in its first session. This approach is based on three fundamental pillars: the protection of human rights, the promotion of human rights and the prevention of violations. Thus, the concept of the effectiveness of human rights was adopted. It has opened new horizons to consolidate human rights and consequently became a key determinant of the CNDH’s actions, its assessment of the human rights situation, and its relations and interactions with the government, parliament and partners, at the national and international levels.

By adopting this concept, the CNDH is focusing more on a higher goal that not only goes beyond guaranteeing human rights in legislation and incorporating them in strategies but spotlights the effectiveness of human rights and the extent of the effective enjoyment of citizens of their fundamental rights and freedoms on an equal basis.

Throughout this process, the CNDH (which is an independent national institution with a comprehensive mandate under the Constitution and in its compliance with the Paris principles governing NHRIs) was distinguished by its leadership roles at the regional and international levels: whether at the level of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) or the Network of African NHRIs, the Arab Network for NHRIs and the Francophone Network of NHRIs (known in French as “Association francophone des commissions nationales des droits de l’Homme”) (whether at the founding level, at the level of supervisory mechanisms and membership of executive mechanisms, or at the level of chairing the working group and the main subsidiary organs).

“As we commemorate the 30th anniversary of the CNDH and celebrate this distinguished and sustainable process of an NHRI in its pursuit of an effective enjoyment of all rights and freedoms for all citizens, I would like to thank all the presidents, members, staff and employees of the former Advisory Human Rights Council (1990-2011) and the current National Human Rights Council, for their contributions to establishing a process imprinted by major societal mutations over three decades.” Amina Bouayach, CNDH Chairperson

Video link: https://youtu.be/NMZ0rlABQ4s

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