In partnership with the Regional Human Rights Commission (CRDH) of Fez-Meknes, the Initiatives pour la Protection des Droits des Femmes Association organized, in collaboration with the UN Women Morocco office and the Fez Community Council, a seminar on June 6, 2024 in Fez, Morocco. This event was titled “The Right to the City: Participatory Approach in Creating Safe and Inclusive Urban Spaces for Women and Girls in Jnan El Ouard District.”

Over 50 stakeholders and experts took part in this symposium.

Mr. Abderrahmane Amrani, CRDH President, delivered a presentation on “The Right to the City and Human Rights”, while Mr. Abdelrazak El Hiri, CRDH member, shared insights from the CRDH’s report on safe and human rights-responsive urban transport.

Discussions focused on ways to transform urban environments into safe and inclusive spaces for all, with particular emphasis on the needs of women and girls. The symposium concluded with recommendations aiming to address issues identified throughout the discussions:

- Fostering the city as a democratic and shared community project that engages all residents—including women, men, and persons with disabilities—in its development and management. Encourage civil society participation in development programs and evaluations in collaboration with local and regional governance bodies.

- Elevate women’s employment as a priority to city development. Ensure public spaces are safe for women and empowering them to appropriate these areas while fostering a sense of civic responsibility and citizenship among all city residents.

- Develop sustainable community values: Encourage coexistence and well-being among citizens by establishing a culture of sustainable development and values education. This includes promoting responsible consumption of natural resources, ethical production methods, and initiatives to combat food waste.

- Professionalize city governance through improved procedural management. Focus on enhancing energy and water security, increasing digital capacities, and refining urban planning and financing mechanisms.

- Integrate the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development into the planning and evaluation of development programs. Re-establish Moroccan city planning by embedding the principles of sustainable development and aligning with regional goals.