Statistics on military personnel discharged because of corruption: 2013 and 2014 (through 29 August)

Years	2013	2014	Total
Corruption	21	13	34

24.Results of anti-corruption efforts:

Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index scores obtained: 33, 34, 35, 37, 37 and 39 during the period 2009-2014, with the country advancing from 91st place in 2013 to 80th place in 2014;

Yearly rankings on the Doing Business index for the period 2011-2015: 115th, 94th, 97th, 87th and 71st place. In 2015 Morocco was more attractive to investors than China (90th), Lebanon (104th), Libya (188th), Egypt (112th) and Algeria (154th).

25.Bill No. 113-12 on integrity and on preventing and combating corruption was adopted by the House of Representatives on 10 February 2015. It is awaiting approval by the House of Councillors.

II.2.6

26.Under the Finance Act of 2015, nearly 130 billion dirhams, or 5 per cent of the State budget, was earmarked for social programmes, including:

Upgrading of the educational system: 45.9 billion dirhams, or 18.3 per cent of the State budget;

Improving the quality of vocational training: 403 million dirhams, or 0.2 per cent of the State budget;

Promotion of higher education: 9.02 billion dirhams, or 3.6 per cent of the State budget;

Facilitation of access by citizens to high-quality health services: 13.09 billion dirhams, or 5.2 per cent of the State budget;

Promotion of social protection: 15.20 billion dirhams, or 5.2 per cent of the State budget;

Provision of decent housing and diversification of the housing supply: 3.2 billion dirhams, or 1.3 per cent of the State budget;

Support for the second phase of the National Human Development Initiative: 3 billion dirhams, or 1.2 per cent of the State budget;

Compensation system for loss of employment: 250 million dirhams, or 0.1 per cent of the State budget.

27.The country’s fourth “citizen’s budget” provides information on institutional, economic and social aspects of the implementation of the Government programme, with achievement indicators and forecasts.

II.2.7

28.All types of discrimination in all areas and in any form are prohibited by the national law.

According to the Constitution, the State is committed to combating any discrimination based on sex, colour, beliefs, social or regional origin, language, disability or any personal circumstances whatsoever;

The Criminal Code, reproducing the definition set out in international instruments, in particular article 1 of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, criminalizes any form of discrimination or of differentiation of treatment on physical or other grounds;

New provisions introduced in laws concerning the press, associations and political parties specify penalties for all acts of discrimination that affect fundamental freedoms and participation in political life;

The Labour Code includes provisions on combating discrimination in its preamble and in articles 9, 12, 346, 361, 478, 484, 486 and 487;

Bill No. 79-14, adopted by the Council of Ministers on 19 March 2015, would establish an equality and anti-discrimination authority with a mandate to receive and process complaints from persons who believe they have suffered discrimination.

II.2.8

A.Reduction of disparities between rural and urban areas

29.This goal underpins many government initiatives and activities.

1.National-level initiatives

A social cohesion support fund that as of 2014 had 5.55 billion dirhams at its disposal;

Expansion of the RAMED medical assistance plan to reach 8.5 million beneficiaries in 2015;

Expansion of the Tayssir programme, which involved 88,800 students in 2008-2009, to a total of 812,000 students in 2014-2015;

Increasing the number of beneficiaries of the “Million schoolbags” royal initiative from 430,800 students in 2007-2008 to 3,914,949 students in 2014-2015;

Enhancement of the assistance provided to persons with disabilities, with a budget of 24 million dirhams benefiting 4,600 persons in 2015;

A family support fund, with 160 million dirhams at its disposal in 2015, for payment of alimony to destitute divorced mothers and their children. In 2014 the fund handled nearly 3,640 court-mandated payments, for a total of 28.51 million dirhams.

2.Specific steps taken

Fund for developing rural and mountain areas:

Annual budget allocations exceeding 20 billion dirhams for coordinated initiatives in all the sectors concerned, including health, education and housing. This is in addition to the resources of the fund, which rose from 500 million dirhams in 2011 to 1.3 billion dirhams in 2015;

National Human Development Initiative: specific programme to combat poverty in rural areas:

During the period 2005-2014, 702 rural communities benefited from this programme;

In the period 2005-2014 there were 12,854 projects and 1,203 one-time initiatives, representing an overall investment of 6.3 billion dirhams, with 3.1 million beneficiaries;

During the period 2004-2007, the poverty rate in the targeted municipalities fell by 41 per cent; in other municipalities it fell by 28 per cent.

B.The Family Code recognizes children born out of wedlock

30.Efforts have been made to broaden the scope of the legal recognition of children.

Article 142 defines filiation as a natural process that occurs with the procreation of the child by the child’s parents;

Article 143 states that as a general rule filiation with regard to the father and the mother is to be considered legitimate unless there is evidence to the contrary;

Article 146 states that the effects of maternal filiation are the same regardless of whether it results from a relationship within or outside marriage;

Article 147 states that filiation is established by “the act of giving birth, the mother’s or a court decision” and is “legitimate in cases where it results from a marriage, a suspected sexual encounter or rape”;

Article 154 states that paternal filiation is legitimate when established on the basis of marital relations, whether the marriage certificate is valid or not;

Article 152 states that filiation can also be established on the basis of the father’s recognition of a suspected sexual encounter, including an “illegitimate relationship”;

Article 158 states that filiation can be established by any means, including a forensic assessment;

Article 157 lists the consequences of filiation, such as alimony and inheritance rights;

Article 315 refers to the inheritance rights of children who are not recognized heirs;

Article 151 states that paternal filiation is assumed and can only be revoked by a court decision.

31.Abandoned children, including children born out of wedlock, benefit without discrimination from the kafala system. This system, regulated by Act No. 15-01 on caring for abandoned children, does not deprive children of the rights to which they are entitled by virtue of the kafil (foster parent).

II.2.9

32.Refugees recognized as such by the State have the same rights as nationals.

Access to employment: Under the Ministerial Decree of 9 February 2005, refugees are not required to provide a certificate of employment issued by the National Agency for the Promotion of Employment and Skills;

Access to social services;

Access to health-care services:

The basic health-care network does not require users to provide information about their ethnicity, religion, origin or nationality and does not exclude anyone from receiving treatment, preventive care or mother-and-child care;

The internal regulations for hospitals dating from 2011 stipulate that “non-Moroccan patients and injured persons shall be admitted under the same conditions as nationals, regardless of their status ...”;

Foreigners and nationals alike are entitled hospital services for a number of for a number of illnesses, as specified in a ministerial order;

A broad range of diagnostic tests is available to Moroccans and also to immigrants of various nationalities free of charge;

Access to education for foreigners living in Morocco is governed by the same procedures as those for Moroccan citizens who have returned to the country after living abroad.

33.On 18 December 2014 the Council of Ministers adopted a draft strategy on migration and asylum that includes 11 programmes addressing key areas such as education and culture, youth and sports, health, housing, social and humanitarian assistance, solidarity and social development, access to vocational training and the facilitation of access to employment.

34.Article 9 of the Labour Code guarantees all workers, without any discrimination, access to employment and all the resulting benefits. As the new migration policy is being implemented, the Ministry of Employment, in consultation with ANAPEC, is considering ways of integrating migrants residing legally in Morocco into the workforce, for example by including them:

In the file of job seekers;

In applications for advertised positions;

Support for those who start businesses.

35.Migrant workers in Morocco are subject to the social security system under the same conditions as Moroccan workers, in accordance with the provisions of Royal Decree No. 1.72.184 of 27 July 1972 on the social security system. Foreign workers who are nationals of countries that have signed bilateral social security agreements with Morocco are subject to the provisions of such agreements.

II.2.10

See II.2.7.

36.The State has taken steps towards the drafting of an organic law declaring the Amazigh language an official language.

37.In 2011 the Royal Institute for Amazigh Culture sent a note to the head of the Government on the need to enact such a law.

38.In 2012 the Council of Ministers approved the legislative plan for the period 2013-2015, which included the corresponding bill.

39.In 2013 the Government, working with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, conducted a linguistic and cultural diagnostic study of Morocco, including the Amazigh dimension, for use in the preparation of the bill.

40.The two houses of the parliament have presented proposals for legislation on this question.

41.These measures are part of the groundwork for launching a national debate which will involve all the nation’s relevant key players, including the Amazigh.

II.3.11

A.Results obtained

42.The following results have been achieved:

1.Institutionalization and promotion of the principles of fairness and equality and laying of groundwork for gender equality

Use by Morocco of gender-sensitive budgeting since 2002;

Creation of mechanisms to monitor the implementation of the ICRAM Government Plan for Equality for the period 2012-2016: ministerial committee, technical committee;

Establishment in 2013 of a gender-based budgeting support centre;

Adoption by the Constitutional Council in May 2015 of Organic Act No. 130.13 on the Finance Act, which requires ministerial departments and public institutions to take into account the gender dimension in their programming;

Establishment of the National Observatory on Violence against Women;

Establishment of the National Observatory for Improving the Image of Women in the Media;

Establishment of the Tamayuz prize for Moroccan women.

2.Combating all forms of discrimination and violence against women

Bill No. 113.13 on combating violence against women (currently being adopted);

Bill No. 79.14 on the establishment of an equality and anti-discrimination authority (currently being adopted);

Revision of Act No. 77.03 on audiovisual media;

Bill No. 19.12 establishing the conditions of employment for domestic workers (currently being adopted);

Establishment in 2014 of an integrated mechanism for collecting data on abused women;

Initiation of a permanent national campaign to combat violence against women and of related awareness-raising activities;

Improvement of legal assistance provided to women by strengthening the 170 judicial police support units for female victims of violence;

Development of mechanisms to assist female victims of violence and the creation of 88 support units in courts dealing with such cases;

A survey on the employment of young girls as domestic workers in Casablanca to determine the extent of the phenomenon and the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of the girls involved and their parents;

Support for associations working to protect women: 105 projects received financial support in 2014;

European Union support totalling €2 million to associations working to promote equity and equality;

Decision No. 137 of 5 June 2013 of the El Jadida Court of Appeal condemning a man who forced his wife to have anal sex and perform fellatio to 2 years’ imprisonment.

3.Upgrading of the education and training system to base it on the principles of equity and equality

Establishment of counselling and mediation centres in schools;

Making basic education compulsory and free for both sexes and extending its reach through the establishment of community schools;

Reduction of the difference between girls’ and boys’ school enrolment rates to 1.3 percentage points at the national level;

Improvement in the gender parity index for education from 0.89 in 2009 to 0.95 in 2013.

4.Promoting fair and equal access to health services

Increase in financial support for reproductive and sexual health programmes from 68 million to 78 million dirhams;

Free basic health services;

Increases in the availability of referral centres for reproductive health and in coverage rates for pregnant women from 77.1 per cent to 90 per cent;

Reduction of the maternal mortality rate per 100,000 live births from 112 to 50;

Programmes for preventing and raising awareness of sexually transmitted diseases.

5.Economic and social empowerment of women, girls and families

Initiation in 2013 of the Ilayki credit guarantee facility for female entrepreneurs (with a budget of 40 million dirhams);

Increase in the number of women’s cooperatives from 738 in 2008 to 1,756 in 2013, with 31,833 women members (15 per cent);

Creation of more than 1,000 women’s agricultural cooperatives and funding of over 700 projects benefiting 14,000 rural women;

Support in 2013 to 156 projects promoting social protection for women.

6.Equitable access to decision-making positions in the administrative, political and economic spheres

Establishment of a 10-million-dirham support fund to boost local participation;

Establishment of an observatory for gender issues in the public sector;

Percentage of members of parliament who are women: 1 per cent in 1995, 10.4 per cent in 2007, 17 per cent in 2011;

Six government ministers are women, as are three secretaries-general of ministries, a regional wali and two governors;

Adoption in 2012 of an organic law on appointments to senior posts at public institutions and its implementing decree enshrining the principle of gender parity;

Increase in the percentage of female public-sector employees to 38 per cent in 2013, from 37 per cent in 2009;

Increase in the percentage of people in decision-making positions who are women, from 15 per cent in 2009 to 16 per cent in 2013.

7.Ensuring equal opportunities for women and men in the labour market

Training of labour inspectors in issues involving fundamental rights at work, including gender equality in employment and occupations;

Dissemination to regional and provincial employment service officials of circular No. 16/13 calling on labour inspectors to respect the implementation of the legislative and regulatory provisions concerning women’s employment.

B.Increasing the participation of women and young people in the country’s development policy in accordance with article 26 of Organic Act No. 29-11 on political parties

43.The following results have been achieved:

Establishment of a quota for the representation of women in the House of Representatives in accordance with Organic Act No. 27-11;

Establishment of gender parity in the composition of the Higher Council for Education, Training and Scientific Research, in accordance with article 7 of Act No. 105-12 of 16 May 2014;

Proportional representation of female judges on the Supreme Council of the Judiciary under draft organic act No. 100-13, which was submitted to the parliament for adoption twice, in 2014 and 2015;

Consideration of gender parity in appointing the president of one of the permanent commissions created by the local government councils in accordance with the new draft organic laws pertaining to the regions, communes, prefectures and provinces, adopted by the Council of Ministers on 29 January 2015;

Approval of the following draft legislation is pending:

Bill No. 113.13 on combating violence against women;

Bill No. 79.14 on the establishment of an equality and anti-discrimination authority.

III.6.12

44.Thanks to investments in sectoral development strategies, the national economy has stood up fairly well to the global crisis and its lingering effects, maintaining a stable unemployment rate of around 9 per cent.

45.Work is being done to improve the quality of available work, including by developing statistical and related information. The National Employment Survey provides indicators to inform public policymakers of the labour situation in Morocco and develop appropriate solutions to the problems identified.

46.The following programmes to assist young people after graduation are carried out as part of active employment policies:

Idmaj (job placement);

Taehil (appropriate qualifications);

Support for self-employment;

Moukawalati programme;

Charaka (partnerships).

47.The measures taken include the following:

Reducing the period of exemption from income tax from 36 months to 24 months;

Requiring employers to offer regular positions to at least 60 per cent of trainees;

Providing compulsory basic health insurance to trainees;

Training 10,000 young people and 25,000 university graduates in education-related fields, in coordination with the Vocational Training and Employment Promotion Agency.

48.The following results have been achieved:

56,700 job seekers have found work through the Idmaj placement programme;

The recruitment of job seekers through the Taehil programme has improved, with 18,700 recruited;

Support for the establishment of 643 companies and for the projects of 1,266 entrepreneurs through the Moukawalati programme;

Social security coverage has been provided through the signing of 194 agreements.

49.The following steps have been taken to promote employment:

In 2013 a national strategy to promote very small enterprises was launched to help integrate informal enterprises into the formal economy. By the year 2017, some 500,000 very small enterprises out of the country’s estimated 3 million will benefit from incentives in the areas of taxation, financing, social security coverage and business development support;

In 2014 the parliament adopted Act No. 114.13 establishing self-employment as an official status.

III.6.13

50.By signing the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol, Morocco has reaffirmed its commitment to guaranteeing and protecting the rights of persons with disabilities and harmonizing its national legislation with the relevant international conventions.

51.The following steps have been taken:

Adoption by the Council of Ministers in October 2014 of draft framework law No. 97.13 on the protection and promotion of the rights of persons with disabilities, currently being adopted by the parliament;

The establishment in 2014, by Decree No. 2.14.278, of a ministerial commission to monitor the implementation of strategies and programmes relating to the promotion of the rights of persons with disabilities.

52.To overcome the difficulties involved in implementing the quota under which 7 per cent of budgeted posts are to be reserved for persons with disabilities, the State has drawn up a draft decree amending Prime Ministerial Decree No. 3.130.00 of 10 July 2000 establishing the list of jobs that can be assigned on a priority basis to persons with disabilities and the quota for such posts in public administrations and the institutions that report to them.

III.7.14

A.The minimum wage scheme in Morocco includes the general minimum wage (SMIG) and the guaranteed agricultural minimum wage (SMAG)

53.The minimum wage is a public legal standard that cannot be overruled by any individual or collective agreement. The payment of wages below the minimum threshold is an offence punishable by a fine.

54.Direct negotiations in the context of social dialogue under the auspices of the Government have accelerated the frequency of increases in the minimum wage, which have led to the following agreements:

(1)August 1996: 10 per cent increase in the minimum wage;

(2)April 2001: 10 per cent increase in the minimum wage;

(3)April 2003: 10 per cent increase in the minimum wage over two years;

(4)April 2011: 15 per cent increase in the legal minimum wage, implemented in two stages:

(a)A 10 per cent increase in July 2011;

(b)A 5 per cent increase in July 2012.

55.These negotiations in 2013 led to a 10 per cent wage increase, namely 5 per cent in July 2014 and 5 per cent on 1 July 2015.

56.Between 1996 and 2015 the minimum wage was raised as follows:

The non-farm hourly wage rose from 7.98 dirhams in 1996 to 13.46 dirhams in 2015;

The legal minimum daily wage in the agricultural sector rose from 41.36 dirhams in 1996 to 69.73 dirhams in 2015.

57.Despite the insufficient number of labour inspectors, the number of inspection visits to workplaces subject to inspection rose substantially, as follows:

From 25,411 in 2012 to 32,526 in 2013 and 30,298 in 2014;

Visits were conducted by 251 inspectors, an average increase of 131.15 per cent;

818,419 notices of violations were issued, 7.21 per cent of them relating to non-compliance with minimum wage regulations and payment deadlines and 7 per cent to the payment of social security contributions.

B.Remedies available in labour disputes under the Labour Code

58.The following remedies are available:

For individual disputes:

Preliminary conciliation with the help of the labour inspector;

Otherwise, conflict settlement before the competent court;

Conciliation by the staff representative;

In the event of a collective dispute, conciliation with the help of:

Regional- and provincial-level directors of the Ministry of Employment;

The province-level investigation and conciliation commission;

The National Investigation and Conciliation Commission;

An arbitrator chosen with the parties’ agreement from a list of arbitrators approved by the Minister of Labour;

The holding of a hearing preliminary to the imposition of punitive measures.

C.A new national strategy for health and safety

59.A new national strategy is being implemented, focusing on bringing the following up to standard:

(1)Laws and regulations;

(2)Administrative and oversight procedures;

(3)Occupational health and safety bodies;

(4)Response capabilities.

60.Achievements of the National Institute for Improving Working Conditions include:

Establishment of a national occupational safety and health profile in accordance with the Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 2006 (No. 187) of the International Labour Organization (ILO);

Preparation (ongoing) of the first national strategy for preventing occupational risks, to cover the period up to 2021;

Preparation of the first national “health at work” plan, for the period 2014-2017, along with several sectoral programmes to bring enterprises into line with prevailing occupational safety and health standards;

Implementation of a contractual framework for the promotion of safety and health at work for the period 2011-2014. Under an agreement signed with the National Agency for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises for the period 2011-2014, the National Institute for Improving Working Conditions was allocated a budget of 252 million dirhams;

Upgrading enterprises’ ability to prevent occupational risks and building the capacity of professionals to help reduce the incidence of work accidents and occupational diseases.

D.The draft framework law on health and security is in the process of adoption

61.To strengthen the effectiveness of occupational health and safety legislation, the services dealing with those issues were recently brought under the nine regional directorates of the Ministry of Employment. The number of doctors and engineers participating in workplace inspections has grown significantly in recent years.

III.7.15

62.The State has taken various steps to combat discrimination against women in the labour market:

The Labour Code is strongly inspired by international labour standards;

It prohibits all discrimination that is based on gender or can undermine the principle of equality of opportunity and treatment in employment;

It guarantees women the right to join unions and participate in their management;

It prohibits wage discrimination between men and women;

The ICRAM Government Plan for Equality has a section on strengthening protection for women at work;

Organic Act No. 02-12 on work appointments:

Provides for equal opportunities and equal, transparent, merit-based treatment for all candidates;

Prohibits discrimination in the selection of candidates for higher-level posts, including on the basis of membership in a political party or a trade union, or for reasons of language, religion, sex or disability, or for any other reason incompatible with the principles of human rights or the provisions of the Constitution;

Requires parity between men and women in accordance with the provisions of article 19 of the Constitution.

On 19 March 2015 the Council of Ministers approved bill No. 79.14 on the establishment of an equality and anti-discrimination authority;

The proportion of women holding senior positions in the public sector reached 16.04 per cent in 2013;

The Observatory for gender issues in the public sector was established in 2014.

III.7.16

63.As statistics on complaints lodged and prosecutions initiated are not available, following is a specific example of the effectiveness of the application of the Criminal Code.

64.In case No. 2005/5382 dated 17 May 2007, the Casablanca Court of Appeal confirmed that the employer had engaged in sexual harassment and that the employee had the right to refuse the work, and thereby the right to leave the workplace without advising the employer. The Court also held that the employee had been dismissed unfairly and that the employer had committed a serious violation, as defined by national and international law, as sexual harassment is humiliating, degrading and unfair towards women.

65.The decision is based on article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which condemns attacks on human dignity, and on article 7 of the Covenant, which recognizes the right of everyone, without discrimination, to enjoy just and favourable conditions of work. The Court ruled that the victim should receive material compensation of approximately 145,865 dirhams.

III.8.17

66.In addition to domestic legislation which enshrines the protection of trade union rights throughout the country, the State has launched a programme to strengthen labour inspectors’ knowledge of fundamental labour rights, including trade union rights. A methodological guide was drawn up by the Ministry of Employment and the International Labour Organization.

67.While article 288 of the Criminal Code has not been revised, the Labour Code prohibits any violation of trade union rights on penalty of a fine of up to 60,000 dirhams and stipulates that union membership does not constitute a valid reason for disciplinary measures or termination of employment.

III.9.18

68.The following developments have taken place:

The number of workers registered with the National Social Security Fund increased from 1.58 million in 2005 to 3 million in 2014;

The coverage rate reached 80 per cent in 2014, compared with 43 per cent in 2005;

The number of agricultural workers registered increased from 143,142 in 2011 to 185,724 in 2014;

The guaranteed agricultural minimum wage (SMAG) increased from 1,399 dirhams in 2009 to 1,812.98 dirhams in 2015.

69.Private companies have experienced difficulties in upholding their obligation to register workers in the social security system, especially in rural areas, owing to the seasonal nature of the work and the predominant reliance on family labour.

70.Nevertheless, measures have been taken to encourage farm owners to register with the social security system, including:

Communication and awareness-raising campaigns for participants and members on the benefits available;

Conclusion of collective agreements;

A restructuring of inspection and oversight bodies;

Enhanced reach-out by improving the Fund’s network of local offices and setting up mobile offices;

Streamlining of the entitlement verification process (certificates of life and school certificates);

Strengthening of electronic correspondence with government services and pension funds;

Launch of a portal for seasonal workers.

71.Bill No. 19.12 on the work situation of domestic workers was adopted by the House of Councillors on 27 January 2015 in accordance with the applicable international conventions. It is currently before the House of Representatives.

72.The main new elements introduced by the bill are the following. It:

Prohibits the employment of domestic workers under 16 years of age;

Requires foreign domestic workers to obtain authorization from the Ministry of Employment;

Applies to employers and intermediaries the penalties set out in the Labour Code in the event of the employment of children under 16;

Prohibits the employment of children between the ages of 16 and 18 in hazardous work, which is to be defined by a regulatory text;

Authorizes labour inspectors to conduct reconciliation proceedings.

III.10.19

A.The “Tamkine-Migrants” project aims to uphold the rights of migrants in Morocco by improving their access to health services, education and justice. The Government received 74 sectoral recommendations related to the implementation of the new migration policy launched in September 2013.

73.The State received funding for 2015-2018 under the “Promoting the integration of migrants in Morocco” project, which fully takes into account social and economic rights.

74.The project focuses on:

Providing migrants with access to basic health coverage and basic medical care;

Ensuring access to education for migrant children;

Supporting migrant women who are pregnant or new mothers and those who are victims of violence, through the “Tamkine-Migrants” project, which enables them to access sexual, reproductive health, social and psychological services;

Strengthening the capacity of health-care, social, institutional and civil society stakeholders;

Vocational training for migrants and support to help them establish income-generating activities as part of the “Employment Integration programme”.

B.As part of the new migration policy, a one-off regularization process for migrants in an irregular situation in Morocco took place from 1 January to 31 December 2014.

75.All migrant women and accompanied and non-accompanied minors who submitted an application were granted a residence permit (27,332 applications, of which 10,178 were for women and children). The holders of such residence permits are guaranteed access to the same rights as Moroccan nationals without discrimination.

76.In 2013, the Minister of Education made Circular No. 13-487 on the inclusion of foreign students from sub-Saharan and Sahel countries in the Moroccan school system applicable nationwide.

III.10.20

A.See question 11 (Government plan for equality and eventual parity)

77.The main measures taken to provide access for women victims of violence to legal remedies and health care include:

The introduction of a national toll free hotline (080008888) for women victims of violence;

The establishment within the courts of support units that include court officials, representatives of the public prosecutor’s office, juvenile judges, investigating judges and court judges who receive in-service training, in participation with associations and representatives from other sectors, including the police, the gendarmerie and the staff of child protection centres;

The establishment of 96 integrated care units in hospitals working together with counterparts in other services and civil society;

The introduction of a computerized information system shared by the various institutions active in this field;

The provision of forensic medical certificates free of charge;

The training of trainers on norms and standards in the area of care for women and children victims of violence, including care for sexually transmitted diseases and AIDS.

B.The number of cases of violence against women decreased to 19,199 in 2014 resulting in 20,541 prosecutions, compared with 20,488 cases in 2013 resulting in 21,590 prosecutions, which represents a reduction of 6.29 per cent in the number of cases between 2013 and 2014, and a decline of 4.86 per cent in the number of persons prosecuted.

78.In 2014, the number of convictions reached 14,833, including 1,257 for criminal cases and 13,576 for other offences.

Types of sentence	Number
Death penalty	2
Life imprisonment	6
Non-suspended prison sentence	178
Prison sentence of 1 month to 5 years	1 463
Suspended prison sentence	3 780
Imprisonment and a fine	3 616
Released to their family	26
Released under supervision	4
Placement in a hospital	4
Placement in an education centre	9
Released on bail	-
Reprimand	9
Fine	909
Total	10 006

C.In 2013, approximately 11.47 per cent of all registered marriages involved persons under the age of 18.

79.The breakdown of all marriages of girls under the age of 18 is as follows:

Marriages at 17: 67.55 per cent;

Marriages at 16: 26.6 per cent;

Marriages at 15: 5.21 per cent.

80.Marriage of a minor represents an exception to the basic principle adopted by the Family Code, which sets forth the obligation to reach the age of majority, namely 18, before entering into marriage.

81.Underlining that marriages of minors must be the exception, the legislature has stipulated that a judge must verify that:

The minor agrees to marry;

The guardian consents; and

A expert medical opinion has confirmed the physical and psychological capacity of the minor to marry.

82.Measures taken to limit the number of marriages of minors include:

The obligation to seek approval from a family court judge with responsibility for marriages in accordance with articles 20 and 21 of the Family Code;

The requirement for a legal expert’s opinion and a social appraisal to be performed to establish the interests and reasons justifying the marriage and to verify that the minor and the parents have given their consent;

The establishment of circuit courts for remote areas located far from family courts and resident judges;

The consideration in parliament of a draft bill setting the minimum legal age for marriage of minors at 16 years;

The training and awareness-raising activities for family court judges;

Awareness-raising campaigns on the psychological, health and social effects of the marriage of minors;

Emphasis on the role of civil society in raising awareness of the marriage of minors.

83.The legislature has made it very difficult to conduct forced marriages.It has stipulated that the written approval of the legal representative, bearing his or her signature along with that of the minor, must accompany an application for marriage, and that his or her presence is required to attest to such approval when the marriage certificate is issued.

D.Dar Talib and Dar Taliba institutions

84.Information on the Dar Talib and Dar Taliba institutions:

They provide social and educational support for children from poor families living far from schools in order to combat school dropout and child labour and increase enrolment of girls, especially in the rural areas.

There are 764 Dar Talib and Dar Taliba institutions and they have a budget of 103,823,000 dirhams.

Actions taken at child protection centres

85.The following measures have been carried out at child protection centres:

Training of the centres’ staff members;

Since 2013, distribution and use of the child protection centre handbook, which inter alia sets out disciplinary procedures in the event of abuse or violence inflicted on children by staff and explains how to deal with emergencies and what security measures to apply in such cases;

In 2013, drafting of a handbook on the rights and obligations of minors at the centres;

In 2014, launch of a feasibility study for the application of remedies at the centres, in cooperation with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Actions taken at social protection institutions

86.The following measures have been taken at social protection institutions:

Revision of Act No. 14.05 on the establishment and management of social protection institutions, currently under way;

Annual support provided on the basis of a call for projects run by associations and social protection institutions working in the field of child protection. In 2014, 23,202,400 dirhams was allocated to 84 associations and 9,215,000 dirhams to 45 social protection institutions;

Adoption currently under way of a bill establishing the Family and Children’s Advisory Council;

Establishment in 2014 of the ministerial commission responsible for monitoring the implementation of national policies and plans for the promotion and protection of children;

Drafting of a national integrated child protection policy.

III.11.21

Efforts to combat poverty

87.Efforts to combat poverty:

Size of the State budget allocated to social services;

Strengthening of social protection and assistance mechanisms.

Impact

88.Eradication of extreme poverty: reduction in the poverty rate measured at $1 of USD 1 purchasing power party (PPP) per day and per capita, from 3.5 per cent in 1985 to under 0.3 per cent in 2011, against a target of 1.8 per cent set for 2015 by the Millennium Development Goals. In 2011, only 0.9 per cent of Moroccans were living under a poverty line set at $1.25 PPP per day and per capita.

89.Eradication of hunger: reduction in the proportion of the population living below the minimum level of dietary energy consumption, as measured by the food poverty rate, from 4.6 per cent in 1985 to 0.5 per cent in 2011, with a target of 2.3 per cent for 2015.

90.Decrease in absolute poverty: decrease in the absolute poverty rate, measured in accordance with the Moroccan national standard, between 2001 and 2011, from 15.3 per cent to 6.2 per cent.

91.Reduction in relative poverty, measured as 60 per cent or less of the median per capita consumer spending: a reduction between 1990 and 2007 from 22 per cent to 19.4 per cent.

92.Regardless of the standard, poverty has significantly decreased in Morocco. This trend is corroborated by the drop in multidimensional poverty.

93.With regard to children’s nutritional health, the child growth standards recommended by the World Health Organization are universally accepted only for children under 5 years of age.

Change in health and nutrition indices for children in Morocco

94.The health and nutrition indices for children in Morocco have changed in the following ways:

Decrease in the proportion of underweight children from 9.3 per cent in 2004 to 3.1 per cent in 2011, affecting 89,000 children under the age of 5;

Reduction in stunting from 18.1 per cent in 2004 to 16.5 per cent in 2011;

Drop in emaciation or weight-height deficit from 10.2 per cent in 2004 to 3 per cent in 2011.

III.11.22

A.Progress in the field of housing

95.Progress made in the field of housing includes the following:

In 2014, more than 235,432 housing units were built;

More than 296,000 housing units are in the process of being built;

The housing shortage was reduced by 30 per cent between 2012 and 2014, from 840,000 units in 2011 to 583,000 in 2014.

Programme of social housing at 140,000 dirhams

96.Information on this social housing programme:

61 contracts have been signed for the construction of 34,483 housing units, 29,343 of which are in urban areas and 5,140 in rural areas;

The construction of 30,000 units has been completed;

Construction has begun on 22,000 units;

Reduction of disparities between urban and rural areas through incentive measures granted to State-approved developers for the construction of 500 social housing units in urban areas and 100 social housing units in rural areas.

Programme of social housing programme at 250,000 dirhams

97.Information on this programme is as follows:

At the end of July 2014, 758 contracts were signed for the construction of 1,277,385 housing units;

Work has begun on 519 projects for the construction of 372,500 housing units;

Between 2012 and 2014, 176,000 units were built, an average of 59,000 units a year.

Housing for the middle class

98.Sixteen contracts were signed with property developers for the construction of 6,000 units.

Cities without Slums programme

99.Information on this programme is as follows:

There are 71,250 beneficiary households;

37,900 households are involved in new projects (with a budget of 5.52 billion dirhams);

5 cities have been declared slum-free: Oujda, Bouarfa, Azemmour, Targuist and Berkane.

Derelict housing

100.Of 43,734 derelict units registered in 2012, 4,086 have been restored and the restoration of 17,000 has been scheduled, as follows:

In 2013, construction of 9,068 units began, for 37,000 households (costing 2.2 billion dirhams);

In 2014-2015, the construction of 7,809 units is scheduled (costing 1.855 billion dirhams);

Construction of the 23,000 remaining units is scheduled for 2015-2016.

Action in under-equipped or districts or those not conforming with regulations

101.There are 345,000 households that have benefited from such action, at an overall cost of 10.140 billion dirhams.

Urban policy

102.Contracts have been concluded for 69 structural projects, with a budget of 9 billion dirhams.

B.Evictions

103.Evictions as a result of disputes are rare. In the absence of a social support system that can be used to distinguish persons who persistently fail to pay their bills from households in difficult circumstances, the courts are reluctant to enforce the rights of property owners when they face cases of non-payment of rent.

104.In order to limit the disputes between landlords and tenants, Act No. 67-12, which entered into force in 2014, established the obligation to sign a lease between the two parties.

III.12.23

A.In accordance with Decree No. 2-13-852 on the conditions and procedures for determining prices of medicines, the prices of almost 1,600 medications have been reduced

105.Ministry of Health Order No. 787.14 of 7 April 2014, which adjusts consumer prices for the sale of brand-name, generic and bio similar medications marketed in Morocco, was published in Official Gazette No. 6248 of 17 April 2014.

106.It was amended by Ministry of Health Order No. 2077.14 of 5 June 2014, published in Official Gazette No. 6262 bis of 6 June 2014. The change in prices covers practically all therapeutic types of medication and the former prices were reduced by up to 80 per cent.

B.Framework Act No. 34-09 of 2 July 2011 concerning the health system and health-care services and its implementing decree No. 2-14-562, adopted in 2015, concerning health-care services, health mapping and regional health-care service models

107.This framework law and its implementing decree focus on:

Equal access to health care and health services;

Geographically equitable distribution of material and human health-care resources.

Rural areas

The Health Development Plan has been implemented since 2011, improving stationary and mobile health service coverage and developing community participation;

A 2013-2015 action plan was developed to speed up the reduction of maternal, neonatal and infant and child mortality in areas lacking health-care resources;

There are plans to ensure coverage with one health centre for every 7,000 residents;

A “territorial upgrading” programme was launched in 2011 for remote rural areas which involves building 250 official residences, putting 47 non-functioning primary health-care establishments into operation, and acquiring 40 ambulances and mobile health coverage units;

Focus on increasing human resources:

Between 2013 and 2014, the percentage of general practitioners recruited increased from 44 per cent to 80 per cent, and paramedical staff from 55 to 58 per cent;

These percentages rose in 2015 to 70 per cent for both categories.

Progress

Improvement of stationary health coverage (2012-2013):

Human resources (130 doctors and 854 nurses);

Emergency care:

Procurement of 116 ambulances and 30 local emergency medical units;

Deployment of 31 small-scale emergency medical units for obstetric care in rural areas;

Development of helicopter transport;

Equipment for maternity wards (477 ultrasound scanners and 296 mini analysers for biological examinations);

Availability of medicines for chronic conditions and for national health-care programmes;

Improvement of mobile health coverage in 2014:

Vehicle fleet (279 all-terrain vehicles, with an annual operating budget of 10 million dirhams);

Increase in the number of outings made by mobile teams (5,500 in 2009 and 12,032 in 2014, resulting in 137,465 women and 126,385 children receiving such services. There were also 130,698 specialized medical visits to schools, 462,150 medical consultations and 436,872 other services performed);

Since 2012, 287 specialized medical outings have been performed (providing 49,398 consultations, of which 25,431 were specialized, 519 involved surgical procedures and 7,733 were radiological and biological examinations);

Improving the participation of local communities in health education;

Establishment of medical emergency support services;

Improving health-care transport

Establishment of the Public Mobile Multidisciplinary Hospital

Launch of Operation Riaya in 2014 to provide assistance to victims of inclement weather events in remote areas;

Setting up a basic health coverage system, an example of which is the RAMED medical assistance plan. In 2014, the total coverage among the eligible population, both in rural and urban areas, stood at 8.5 million persons nationally, 47.53 per cent of whom were in rural areas.

C.Medical care

Prisoners receive health-care services and are covered by strategies for combating tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, cancer and addiction.

Medical and paramedical staff working in prisons

	2012	Ratio	2013	Ratio	2014 as at 1 August	Ratio
Number of doctors	77	1 per 919 detainees	83	1 per 872 detainees	96	1 per 656 detainees
Number of dentists	55	1 per 1,280 detainees	59	1 per 1,228 detainees	63	1 per 1,067 detainees
Number of psychologists	29	1 per 2,438 detainees	32	1 per 2,250 detainees	32	1 per 2,342 detainees
Number of nurses	301	1 per 235 detainees	382	1 per 190 detainees	438	1 per 144 detainees

109.There are 36 doctors (29 specialists and 7 general practitioners) who have been contracted by the General Delegation for Prison Administration and Reintegration (DGAPR). The improvement in ratio has made it possible to keep up the pace of six medical consultations per prisoner per year.

Awareness-raising on hygiene and the prevention of epidemic diseases in 2014-2015

Awareness -raising and prevention campaign	Number	Beneficiaries
Men	Women
Tuberculosis	36	7 861	294
STIs/AIDS	69	6 950	514
Viral hepatitis	03	190	14
Cancer	18	1 907	292
Addiction	60	7 021	430
Dental health	36	5 929	294
Vaccinations	29	8 624	321
Other	259	29 744	1 994
Total	510	68 226	4 149
Overall Total		72 375

D.The maternal mortality rate has been reduced by almost 66 per cent in 20 years, decreasing from 332 maternal deaths for every 100,000 live births in 1992 to 112 deaths in 2010

110.The infant and child mortality rate has fallen from 84 per 100,000 live births in 1992 to 30 in 2011, a reduction of 64 per cent.

111.Efforts undertaken to reduce maternal and infant mortality rates:

Reproductive health strategy;

Health strategy for young persons and adolescents;

National Nutrition Strategy;

A national programme has been officially established for the early detection of breast cancer and cervical cancer;

Emergency obstetric assistance in rural areas (SAMU OR).

E.The State has health inspection units at its borders

112.The units are placed under the responsibility of doctors whose responsibilities include providing free basic health care for migrants in transit.

III.12.24

113.The State has adopted a strategy for 2012-2016 for the treatment of mental illnesses, the aims of which include setting up 3,400 hospital beds and 260 specialist consultation centres across the entire country for four subgroups (children and young persons, adults, persons suffering from addiction and persons with related issues).

114.The strategy has:

A specific budget allocated to mental health medications which has increased from 35 million dirhams in 2012 to 52 million dirhams in 2013;

Two hundred and fifty psychiatrists, 791 nurses working in the field of psychiatry and 102 resident doctors in psychiatry;

A capacity of 2,053 beds at 30 specialized hospitals across the country;

Eighty outpatient psychiatric consultation units at basic health-care facilities.

Establishing facilities

115.This strategy has enabled the establishment of:

1 university psychiatric hospital in Marrakech, with three regional ones in the process of being set up;

3 integrated psychiatric services, with five in the process of being set up;

4 child psychiatry units and one unit for difficult patients;

6 addiction treatment centres, with five in the process of being established;

2 residential addiction treatment centres in the university hospitals of Rabat and Casablanca;

5 local mobile care units;

The National Observatory for Drugs and Addiction, set up in 2013.

Training

116.This strategy has enabled the training of:

23 psychiatrists and more than 100 specialized nurses in 2014;

80 resident doctors in psychiatry;

2 child psychiatrists, currently undergoing training

30 doctors a year have been trained in addictology since 2008;

In 2014-2015, more than 100 professionals working in basic health-care facilities (general practitioners and nurses) were trained to use brief intervention on drug users.

117.In 2013, 408 general practitioners received continuous training.

118.Psychiatric facilities have been brought up to standard in Tetouan, Oujda, Berrechid, Casablanca and Salé, with similar changes expected in Marrakech and Tit Mellil. Opioid replacement therapy is also offered at priority facilities and in the university hospitals of Ibn Rochd in Casablanca and Ar-razi in Salé.

III.13.25

A.Teaching

119.The National Charter for Education and Training of 2000 provides for a 20 per cent contribution from the private sector to State efforts to give effect to the right to a free and quality education for all children of school age, without any form of discrimination.

120.The private sector currently covers 12 per cent of the total number of children in school at all levels, mainly in urban areas across the country. Such contributions have little impact on reducing school dropout on account of the fact that dropout is high in rural areas. Measures focusing on social, financial and teaching assistance aim to remedy this problem, which is a subject of concern.

121.The new priority programme for 2015-2020 focuses particularly on preschool education, with the aim of regulating this sector and bringing its curricula into line with the goals for equity and equality of opportunity for all children, without any discrimination, thereby contributing to an effective, significant and lasting reduction in school dropout.

B.Improving the quality of public education

122.The priority programme for 2015-2020, consisting of 23 projects, focuses on:

Mastery of basic education, knowledge and skills;

Improving the services provided by schools;

Enhancing cross-cutting skills and personal fulfilment;

Improving the framework for teaching;

Good governance;

Morality in schools.

C.Amazigh language

123.The Ministry of Education is working to promote the generalization of teaching in the Amazigh language in primary schools. In 2014, only 2.6 per cent of teachers were Amazigh, for 11 per cent of pupils at 17 per cent of schools.

124.In 2012-2013, a preliminary course was established to train teachers in the Amazigh language. Since then, 300 teachers have been trained.

D.Increase in the number of university students from the southern provinces

125.The enrolment of such students in higher university education is as follows:

An increase from 6,537 in 2003 to 14,353 in 2012;

A 120 per cent increase per year, in contrast with an annual increase of 31 per cent for the rest of the country;

A 9.13 per cent increase per year, in contrast with an annual increase of 2.85 per cent for the other provinces in the country.

126.Disaggregation by region:

Guelmim-Es-Smara: 10,329 students (71.96 per cent);

Laȃyoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra: 3,276 students (22.82 per cent);

Oued Eddahab-Lagouira: 748 students (5.21 per cent).

127.With regard to host universities, students from the southern regions enrol mainly in two universities in Marrakech: Ibn Zohr d’Agadir and Cadi Ayyad. In order to meet the increasing demand for higher education in these regions, some new schools have been established:

The Guelmim Higher Technological Institute, with a capacity of 1,834;

The Es-Smara Theological Sciences Faculty, part of Al Quaraouiyine University;

The Laȃyoune Higher Technological Institute;

The Guelmim University Annex, with a capacity of 6,000.

128.Projects scheduled in the south to increase the number of such establishments:

Construction of the Ibn Zohr University Annex in Guelmim;

Construction of the Theology Faculty in Smara;

Establishment of the National School of Business and Management in Dakhla.

129.With regard to social assistance, increases in:

Student grants;

Accommodation and catering services at university campuses and residences.

III.15.26

A.The right to register Amazigh first names

130.This right is guaranteed through:

The Civil Status Act;

The commitment made by the High Commission on Civil Status in 2014 to guarantee the freedom of all citizens to choose the first names of their children, provided that it does not offend morality or public order, and regardless of whether the name is Arabic, Amazigh, Hassaniya or Hebrew;

Ministry of Internal Affairs Circular No. D3220 of 2010 on the choice of first names;

Expansion of the list of authorized first names;

Broad dissemination of the communiqué of the High Commission on Civil Status;

Publication in 2014 of Circular No. 74 for civil registration officials working in Morocco or posted to Moroccan consulates abroad.

B.Amazigh language in public audiovisual media

131.The promulgation in 2005 of Act No. 77-03 on audiovisual communication completed the process of liberalization of the audiovisual media in Morocco. At the operational level, a joint commission was established under a partnership agreement between the Ministry of Communications and the Royal Institute of Amazigh Culture to monitor the integration of Amazigh culture in the public sector audiovisual media and to draw up contract documents that include measures to guarantee respect for the Amazigh language and for Amazigh culture, art and civilization in radio and television programmes.

132.The following have been set up:

A national television channel in the Amazigh language called “Tamazight” in 2010;

Radio Amazigh;

Programme contracts signed with public audiovisual corporations to respect cultural and linguistic diversity by devoting, on average, at least 70 per cent of the company’s broadcasting time each year to programmes in the Arabic and Amazigh languages or in Moroccan dialects.

C.Associations working in the field of cultural rights

133.These associations include:

Community network for the development and democracy of Zagora;

Network of associations for the development of oases in South-East Morocco;

Amazigh citizenship network;

Association for the development of Azilal province.

134.The Royal Institute of Amazigh Culture made an effective contribution to the drafting of a national action plan on democracy and human rights by taking part in the steering committee for that plan. The main recommendations concerning the Amazigh language and culture set forth in the plan are as follows:

At the legislative and institutional level

Integrating the linguistic and cultural rights of Amazigh persons thoroughly into education and training programmes;

Improving the capacities of the Amazigh television channel;

Doubling the amount of cultural and artistic infrastructure;

Creating regional thematic museums;

Ensuring that archaeological sites are preserved.

At the capacity-building and communication level

Specialized programmes for strengthening and modernizing non-governmental organizations working in the field of Amazigh linguistic and cultural rights;

Regular awareness-raising campaigns in the media.

III.15.27

135.By making the preservation and promotion of the diversity of its cultural heritage a national priority, Morocco is working to safeguard cultural expression and knowledge.

136.Promoting the participation of Sahraoui artists in festivals is dealt with, as it is for other Moroccan artists, by Decree No. 2.12.513 of May 2013 on supporting cultural and artistic projects:

In the form of calls for bidding for cultural projects;

At local, regional, national and international levels;

By ensuring full respect for the independence of artists and their freedom of choice.

137.The State has undertaken a number of steps to promote the Saharo-Hassaniya language and culture by:

Organizing festivals and Moussems:

International Moussem of Tan-Tan to celebrate the culture and traditions of Hassani tribes;

Sea and Desert Festival in Dakhla;

Rawafed Azawan festival in Laȃyoune;

Almadih in Smara-Aousserd;

Launching the national plan to compile an inventory of and document Hassaniya oral heritage;

Publishing the Anthology of Traditional Hassaniya Music, in early 2013.

III.15.28

138.Steps taken to improve access, including by persons with disabilities, to culture:

Implementation since 2013 of the national programme for cultural centres;

Wide dissemination of information on cultural heritage for professionals and the general public;

Draft framework law No. 97.13 on the protection and promotion of the rights of persons with disabilities and on guaranteeing their access to culture and science;

Requirement, applied through the support mechanism for publications and books, to comply with norms for access by persons with visual impairments to websites of cultural magazines, to foster publications specifically for use by persons with disabilities;

Implementation of a reading corner for persons with visual impairments in several libraries;

Organization of annual demonstrations for persons with disabilities.