Parliament discusses recommendations of CNDH’s last annual report

Pursuant to Article 160 of the Constitution, the House of Councillors held, Wednesday, July 22, 2015 a live-broadcasted public session to discuss the conclusions and recommendations of the National Human Rights Council’s last annual report. The session was broadcasted live by the state-owned national TV & radio broadcaster (SNRT).

CNDH’s last annual report was initially read in Parliament by CNDH Chairman, in June 2014. It covered a three-year period: March 2011 to late 2013. Parliamentarians, from the House of Councillors and the House of Representatives, ministers and the Head of the Government attended that June session.

The new three-hour session was chaired by Speaker of the House of Councillors Mr. Mohamed Cheikh Biadillah. Speakers of eight parliamentary groups and eight ministers took the floor to comment on the conclusions and recommendations of the report and to what extent the government has taken the report’s conclusions and recommendations into account.

The parliamentary groups commented on the different chapters of the report. They had coordinated their remarks at a Conference of parliamentary group presidents. The members of the government, on the other hand, commented on the aspects that fall within the mandate of their respective ministries in the report.

The members of government commended the role of the institution and its important campaigns to protect and promote human rights in Morocco. They have reiterated the importance they attach to its work and stressed their willingness to respond to and be part of its initiatives. They shed light in their remarks on the level of cooperation and collaboration of their departments with CNDH.

Majority and opposition members all agreed to commend the report and the quality of CNDH’s initiatives and work. They also commended the fruitful cooperation between the House of Councillors and the National Human Rights Council, in implementation of the Belgrade Principles on the relationship between national human rights institutions and parliaments. CNDH and both houses of parliament concluded a memorandum of understanding in December 2014. The implementation of the Belgrade Principles was further affirmed when the House of Councillors included provisions to stregthen its relationship with CNDH in its rules of procedure.