Reaffirming its ongoing advocacy for institutionalizing youth participation and enhancing their engagement in public affairs, the National Human Rights Council (CNDH), in partnership with "Idmaj for Development" institution in Sidi Moumen, Casablanca, Morocco, organized a consultative meeting titled “Focus on Youth Participation and Human Rights: Perspectives, Approaches, and Priorities”. This event was held on Tuesday, December 17, 2024, as part of the CNDH’s participation in the second edition of the International Children and Youth Book Fair (SILEG 2024), under the theme " Participation as Means for Enhancing the Effectiveness of Children’s and Youth’s Rights."

In her opening statement, Ms. Saadia Waddah, President of the Regional Human Rights Commission (CRDH) of Casablanca-Settat Region, underscored the importance of youth and children's participation in strengthening the effectiveness of human rights. She highlighted their pivotal role in advancing development, emphasizing the importance of empowering and involving them in building a society rooted in justice and equality. She further stressed that youth and children’s participation is a cornerstone for promoting human rights and called for providing them with opportunities to contribute to policy and decision-making processes.

Mr. Mustapha Nejmi, Director of the CNDH Human Rights Promotion Department, shed light on the CNDH's roles, mandate, and mechanisms, including its CRDHs. He emphasized that this meeting provided an opportunity for youth to voice their opinions, aspirations, and ideas through interactive workshops and focus groups that brought together young participants, children, and their teachers to share their views and develop proposals regarding participation.
 

Mr. Boubker Maazouz, President of the "Idmaj for Development" institution, stressed the critical role of youth participation in promoting human rights and development. Highlighting the importance of dialogue, he noted that youth are real partners in building a future grounded in justice and equality. He called for moving beyond traditional discourses to ensure effective youth participation in decision-making processes.

Young participants actively interacted in this meeting and voiced their opinions on their role in public life. They shared their visions regarding participation and identified challenges obstructing its full realization. Discussions reflected a deep awareness among participants of the necessity to involve youth in developing public policies, recognizing them as key partners in achieving sustainable development.

The meeting discussed core themes through three focus groups addressing:
-    Youth perspectives on participation, including the concept of participation, its forms, and challenges
-    Ways to achieve effective participation by ensuring youth access to information, training programs, and environments that encourage effective participation.
-    Youth priorities for enhanced participation, including issues that matter most to young people, such as education, employment, health, culture, and environmental concerns.

Concluding the meeting, participants presented practical recommendations, including: 
-Integrating youth in the development of public policies, 
-Launching training programs in leadership and community engagement, 
-Establishing platforms for dialogue between youth and decision-makers, 
-Supporting local youth initiatives, 
-Promoting values of citizenship and volunteering.