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New York, 16 July 2003.
The second periodic report of Morocco was examined on July
15 by the United Nations Committee for the Elimination of all
forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)
during its 29th session.
The Committee insisted upon the necessity for the Moroccan
government to show a stronger political commitment in order
to accelerate the path to necessary reforms for Morocco to comply
with the CEDAW Convention, ratified by Morocco in 1993. The
Committee said these reforms should not take intolerably long
time and suggested Morocco put in place specific mechanisms
to promote women's rights.
The Committee also recommended to the Moroccan authorities:
- To address the issue of violence against women including domestic
violence, by publicizing the problem, punishing the authors
of violence and rehabilating the victims.
- To address stereotypes notably through education. The Committee
recalled that the indispensable fight against women's illiteracy
was not sufficient and that education to equality should be
promoted by training of teachers and modification of education
materials for instance. The Committee said it expected results
in the forthcoming report of Morocco.
- To ensure sustainability of women's representation in public
and political life. The Committee said it was impressed of the
efforts of Morocco in that matter, which need to be enhanced.
- To promote participation of women at decision-making posts
in the judicial and economic areas.
- To reexamine - through a speedy and direct approach - the
numerous Moroccan discriminatory laws against women, including
the Code of Personal Status. The Committee expressed deep concern
about grave discriminations suffered by women in particular
concerning marriage, divorce and care of the children.
- To consider withdrawal of reservations to article 9 and 16
of the CEDAW Convention. Such a withdrawal as well as ratification
of the additional protocol to the Convention would represent
a sign of the political will of Morocco to engage in the needed
reforms to put an end to discrimination against women.
The Association démocratique des femmes marocaines (ADFM)
and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) note
with satisfaction the points raised by the Committee which correspond
to a large extent to the subjects of concern of the Moroccan
NGOs, reflected in the parallel report coordinated by the ADFM.
The ADFM and the FIDH call upon Morocco to abide by the recommendations
of the Committe, without any delay. The ADFM and the FIDH will
follow with great attention the so-long expected legislative
harmonization and the adoption of a real action plan to put
an end to the grave discriminations still suffered by Moroccan
women today.
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