Mrs. Amina Bouayach, Chairperson of the National Human Rights Council (CNDH), and Mr. Habib El Malki, Speaker of the House of Representatives signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), on Thursday 10 June 2021 at the Parliament in Rabat, Morocco.

This Memorandum aims at strengthening cooperation relations and sharing experiences between the two institutions.

On this occasion, Mrs. Amina Bouayach stressed the importance of amending and updating this agreement, particularly in the CNDH actions that are in line with the Paris Principles that define the independence of National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) and with the Belgrade Principles on the relation between NHRIs and Parliaments.

The CNDH Chairperson also highlighted the role of the House of Representatives at the international level, mainly at the Human Rights Council (HRC), and its role in interacting with the United Nations mechanisms at the legislative level, as well as its contributions in important public discussions that are related to Moroccan issues.

Besides, Mrs. Bouayach underlined the great role played by the legislative body in harmonizing national legislation to develop the protection and the promotion of human rights and freedoms. Within the same context, she also noted the positive interaction of the House of Representatives with the CNDH annual reports, its opinions and observations on various legislative texts related to human rights, as well as with the CNDH support and advice in the field of assessing public policies related to human rights.

For his part, Mr. Habib El Malki stressed that Morocco has achieved qualitative development in the field of human rights. Particularly, through the Moroccan experience of the Truth Commission (IER) and major reforms that followed, such as the establishment of the CNDH and the Mediation Institution. He also added that the process of the promotion and protection of human rights in Morocco has culminated in the 2011 Constitution.

Mr. El Malki welcomed the importance of amending and updating the MoU. He affirmed that this agreement will open a promising horizon of cooperation between the two institutions. The MoU will provide the House of Representatives with tools to conduct advanced missions related to protecting and promoting human rights and fundamental freedoms through the implementation of a human rights approach in legislation, monitoring and assessment areas…

Cooperation between the two institutions is based on actions to enhance the harmonization of national legislation with international human rights treaties ratified or adhered to by Morocco. It is also based on sharing experiences between the two institutions in this field.

The MoU is valid for three years and it is subject to auto-renewal for the same period.

It will focus on:
- Cooperation and actions based on a human rights approach in the areas of legislation, monitoring government actions, assessing public policies and parliamentary diplomacy;
- Implementation of programs aiming at strengthening capacities in the field of human rights, in partnership with the Institute of Rabat - Driss Benzekri - for Human Rights and the Parliamentary Center for Research and Studies;
- Consultation of the CNDH in the field of studying the impact of draft treaties and conventions related to human rights and International Humanitarian Law, etc.