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22 November 2000
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CESCR
24th session
22 November 2000
Afternoon
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights this afternoon continued its discussion on a second periodic report of Morocco on how that country was discharging its obligations under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
Responding to questions raised by Committee Experts, the delegation of Morocco said that the country was against attempts of clandestine migration in which many drowned in the Straits of Gibraltar attempting to reach Europe in search of an Eldorado.
The delegation also said that a very small amount of funding was available for eliminating illiteracy; and that support for the campaign was negligible and had had little impact; however, the Government had set itself the ambitious target of a 24 per cent illiteracy rate by 2010 against the actual 47 per cent. To achieve that objective, the campaign should reach 100,000 adults per year now and 500,000 per year from 2003.
Over the course of the discussion, an Expert said that children in Morocco were serving as domestic servants and adoptive servitude was accepted with the Government taking no action against this cruel system; because of the accepted system of servitude, no salary was given to the child servant; and there was no guarantee that the child would leave and return to her parents whenever she desired to do so.
As one of the 143 States party to the Covenant, Morocco must submit periodic summaries of its efforts to give effect to the provisions of the treaty.
When the Committee reconvenes at 10 a.m. on Thursday, 23 November, it is expected to finalize its consideration of the second periodic report of Morocco.
Discussion
In response to the questions raised by Committee Experts during the previous meeting, the members of the Moroccan delegation said that since 1960, a plan of reproductive health care system had been put in place and motherhood without risk had improved a lot. In addition, family planning had been introduced to help families with more children. Women's reproductive health in Morocco had improved distinctly thanks to the programmes designed to provide pregnancy monitoring and medical care during childbirth. The number of women of child-bearing age using contraceptives had risen from 42 per cent in 1992 to 59 in 1997. Despite the positive developments, the maternal death rate had remained very high. Although it fell by over half in the urban sector, the decrease was only 15 per cent in the rural sector.
Since 1993, Morocco had been structuring its educational system to include all segments of the population, the delegation said. Particular attention was devoted to improving the school participation rate of girls, especially in rural areas.
In Morocco, women made up half of the population but despite that, their access to employment in some sectors was limited, the delegation said. The Government was encouraging women to take part in all aspects of employment and had urged employers to give opportunities to women by increasing the number of their female employees. In recent years, women were also taking their own initiatives to create their own enterprises by obtaining bank loans.
It was the duty of the State to provide absolute assistance to older, disabled and abandoned children who did not generate any income to support themselves, the delegation said. In addition, the Government had set up a social insurance system in which persons with low income were supported in the event of illness. A special provision was also created to enable persons to receive unemployment benefits. A social development agency was also helping vulnerable persons, such as women, to get employment. The Government had created a compulsory health insurance system and it would be implemented very soon.
A programme of economic and social reform had been carried out with the cooperation of the Bretton Woods financial institutions, the delegation said. The social reform included a literacy campaign, a reform which was imposed by those institutions. At present, the illiteracy rate was 47 per cent. A very small amount of funding was available for eliminating illiteracy. Support for the campaign was negligible and had had little impact. The Government had set itself the ambitious target of a 24 per cent illiteracy rate by 2010. To achieve that objective, the campaign should reach 100,000 adults per year now and 500,000 per year from 2003.
The efforts of the Government of Morocco in the promotion and protection of human rights had been intense and fruitful, the delegation said. The role played by the Moroccan Human Rights Advisory Council had evolved and soon it would assume the role of a national human rights commission as prescribed under the Paris Agreement on the establishment of such institutions.
In follow-up questions, Committee Experts asked if marital rape was criminalized under Moroccan legislation; if measures were taken against polygamy; if the Amazigh minority language and culture was respected; if, during its negotiations with the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the Bretton Woods institutions, Morocco had raised its obligations under the Covenant; why the law on inheritance was drawn directly from Islam; and if a national plan of action under the Vienna Declaration was carried out by the Government, among other things.
In response to the Committee members' questions, the delegation said the Koran was so precise on the issue of inheritance that it was difficult not to implement it. The interpretation of the Islamic law was not in contradiction with the provision of the Covenant.
Morocco was against cases of clandestine migration in which many drowned in the Straits of Gibraltar attempting to reach Europe in search of an Eldorado, the delegation said. To encourage workers to stay in the country, the Government had created agricultural work.
What measures had been taken against unemployment, an Expert asked. With the process of privatization and reform, labour layoffs were inevitable; what preventive measures were taken by the State? What was the minimum wage in Morocco so that an individual could live decently? Why had Morocco not ratified the ILO Convention on trade union rights? And what were the restrictions on the exercise of the right to strike, the Experts said.
An Expert also asked how the Government could reconcile its obligations under the Covenant with the ever-shifting economic and social situation?
Referring to the Economic Intelligence Unit, an Expert said that Morocco's economy absorbed about 200,000 new workers every year, but that there were 300,000 new workers filling the labour market. That meant there was about 100,000 new unemployed persons every year. In addition, one-third of the active working population was engaged in agricultural sectors. Since the unemployment was not static but threatened to increase, what measures had the Government taken to reverse the situation. Did the Moroccan economy benefit from the re-scheduling of its external loan? Did the Government look for a way to deter the demographic explosion?
In response, the delegation said that the Government was in favour of converting its external debt into investment as many other counties had done. In matters of unemployment, the Government was not able to employ everybody at the same time. It had been replacing old people with young ones whenever those persons retired. Further, young people were taking initiatives in creating self-employing jobs, which was encouraged by the Government.
Underground work had only generated living conditions for individuals who were involved in such forms of employment, the delegation said. However, the Government was encouraging people to join the formal work market, which was a means of economic integration, and to be part of the "bankable" economic sector.
There were 17 trade unions that claimed to be central and who exercised their union rights, the delegation said. During the last six months, the trade unions had exercised their right to strike on several occasions, separately or in concert. The trade unions had claimed rights in 24,000 cases.
With regard to the rights of children, Morocco had ratified International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention No. 138 on the minimum age to take employment, the delegation said. In addition, the Government had taken appropriate measures against child labour, reflecting its political will to end that phenomenon. In the sector of crafts, where children usually worked, the Government had signed an agreement of partnership to train craftsmen so that they might employ children. Children who had dropped out of school were also provided with on-the-job training to enable them to acquire knowledge for their future permanent employment.
The Hassan II institute dealt with social and economic aspects while the Mohammed V institute worked on social development and solidarity, the delegation said. In order to prevent the negative effects of privatization, part of the money obtained from privatization went to the Hassan II institute which in part assisted persons affected by the process.
With regard to street children, the Government had carried out a study on the phenomenon and had started a promising experiment in helping those children who lived in the streets, the delegation said. The Government was conscious that it had to take preventive actions before the phenomenon became rampant. In addition, the national children's rights observatory had held a study day on the subject of violence and maltreatment of children and had dedicated 1999 as the year of awareness of child maltreatment.
Children were serving as domestic servants and adoptive servitude was accepted with the Government taking no action against it, an Expert said, adding that it was a cruel system. Because of the accepted servitude, no salary was given to the child servant; and there was no guarantee that the child would leave and return to her parents whenever she desired to do so. Another Expert added that incidents of child labour were widespread in all sectors of the economy.
The delegation said that the Government did not deny the existence of the problem of child labour in the country, but the situation had been changing in the past two years. The fact that Morocco was a society of extended family meant that children used to work in the family enterprises without any problems, but with the evolution of the society, that act became an exploitation of the child under relevant international conventions.
In follow-up questions, Committee Experts asked about the Government's efforts to resolve maltreatment of women and the protection of victims in the event that they lodged complaints against their perpetrators; about the length of the maternity leave granted to pregnant working women; if it was punishable by law to dismiss a pregnant woman from her work; about the specific measures taken by the Government to break up the chain of poverty in many families; about the situation of homelessness; the age limit for girls to get married; the legal status of children born out of wedlock; and about forced eviction of poor people and their exploitation by landlords because of their situation.
In addition, Experts asked if medical and DNA testing was made available to determine the paternal relations of an "illegitimate" child; about malnutrition among the most vulnerable groups of the society and the measures to alleviate the problem; and about the Government's efforts to supply clean drinking water to its population, among other things.
Since 1959, there had been no forced marriages in Morocco because of a law which declared such unions null and void, the delegation said. On the issue of social housing, new provisions had been provided in the acquisition of such houses with loans from banks. For less fortunate ones, other arrangements were put in place in which they could live in decent houses. In addition, the Government had endeavoured to improve rural situations so that people would be encouraged to stay in their own environment with better conditions. During the two-year drought in Morocco, shanty houses were built around the capital city.
* *** *
24th session
22 November 2000
Afternoon
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights this afternoon continued its discussion on a second periodic report of Morocco on how that country was discharging its obligations under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
Responding to questions raised by Committee Experts, the delegation of Morocco said that the country was against attempts of clandestine migration in which many drowned in the Straits of Gibraltar attempting to reach Europe in search of an Eldorado.
The delegation also said that a very small amount of funding was available for eliminating illiteracy; and that support for the campaign was negligible and had had little impact; however, the Government had set itself the ambitious target of a 24 per cent illiteracy rate by 2010 against the actual 47 per cent. To achieve that objective, the campaign should reach 100,000 adults per year now and 500,000 per year from 2003.
Over the course of the discussion, an Expert said that children in Morocco were serving as domestic servants and adoptive servitude was accepted with the Government taking no action against this cruel system; because of the accepted system of servitude, no salary was given to the child servant; and there was no guarantee that the child would leave and return to her parents whenever she desired to do so.
As one of the 143 States party to the Covenant, Morocco must submit periodic summaries of its efforts to give effect to the provisions of the treaty.
When the Committee reconvenes at 10 a.m. on Thursday, 23 November, it is expected to finalize its consideration of the second periodic report of Morocco.
Discussion
In response to the questions raised by Committee Experts during the previous meeting, the members of the Moroccan delegation said that since 1960, a plan of reproductive health care system had been put in place and motherhood without risk had improved a lot. In addition, family planning had been introduced to help families with more children. Women's reproductive health in Morocco had improved distinctly thanks to the programmes designed to provide pregnancy monitoring and medical care during childbirth. The number of women of child-bearing age using contraceptives had risen from 42 per cent in 1992 to 59 in 1997. Despite the positive developments, the maternal death rate had remained very high. Although it fell by over half in the urban sector, the decrease was only 15 per cent in the rural sector.
Since 1993, Morocco had been structuring its educational system to include all segments of the population, the delegation said. Particular attention was devoted to improving the school participation rate of girls, especially in rural areas.
In Morocco, women made up half of the population but despite that, their access to employment in some sectors was limited, the delegation said. The Government was encouraging women to take part in all aspects of employment and had urged employers to give opportunities to women by increasing the number of their female employees. In recent years, women were also taking their own initiatives to create their own enterprises by obtaining bank loans.
It was the duty of the State to provide absolute assistance to older, disabled and abandoned children who did not generate any income to support themselves, the delegation said. In addition, the Government had set up a social insurance system in which persons with low income were supported in the event of illness. A special provision was also created to enable persons to receive unemployment benefits. A social development agency was also helping vulnerable persons, such as women, to get employment. The Government had created a compulsory health insurance system and it would be implemented very soon.
A programme of economic and social reform had been carried out with the cooperation of the Bretton Woods financial institutions, the delegation said. The social reform included a literacy campaign, a reform which was imposed by those institutions. At present, the illiteracy rate was 47 per cent. A very small amount of funding was available for eliminating illiteracy. Support for the campaign was negligible and had had little impact. The Government had set itself the ambitious target of a 24 per cent illiteracy rate by 2010. To achieve that objective, the campaign should reach 100,000 adults per year now and 500,000 per year from 2003.
The efforts of the Government of Morocco in the promotion and protection of human rights had been intense and fruitful, the delegation said. The role played by the Moroccan Human Rights Advisory Council had evolved and soon it would assume the role of a national human rights commission as prescribed under the Paris Agreement on the establishment of such institutions.
In follow-up questions, Committee Experts asked if marital rape was criminalized under Moroccan legislation; if measures were taken against polygamy; if the Amazigh minority language and culture was respected; if, during its negotiations with the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the Bretton Woods institutions, Morocco had raised its obligations under the Covenant; why the law on inheritance was drawn directly from Islam; and if a national plan of action under the Vienna Declaration was carried out by the Government, among other things.
In response to the Committee members' questions, the delegation said the Koran was so precise on the issue of inheritance that it was difficult not to implement it. The interpretation of the Islamic law was not in contradiction with the provision of the Covenant.
Morocco was against cases of clandestine migration in which many drowned in the Straits of Gibraltar attempting to reach Europe in search of an Eldorado, the delegation said. To encourage workers to stay in the country, the Government had created agricultural work.
What measures had been taken against unemployment, an Expert asked. With the process of privatization and reform, labour layoffs were inevitable; what preventive measures were taken by the State? What was the minimum wage in Morocco so that an individual could live decently? Why had Morocco not ratified the ILO Convention on trade union rights? And what were the restrictions on the exercise of the right to strike, the Experts said.
An Expert also asked how the Government could reconcile its obligations under the Covenant with the ever-shifting economic and social situation?
Referring to the Economic Intelligence Unit, an Expert said that Morocco's economy absorbed about 200,000 new workers every year, but that there were 300,000 new workers filling the labour market. That meant there was about 100,000 new unemployed persons every year. In addition, one-third of the active working population was engaged in agricultural sectors. Since the unemployment was not static but threatened to increase, what measures had the Government taken to reverse the situation. Did the Moroccan economy benefit from the re-scheduling of its external loan? Did the Government look for a way to deter the demographic explosion?
In response, the delegation said that the Government was in favour of converting its external debt into investment as many other counties had done. In matters of unemployment, the Government was not able to employ everybody at the same time. It had been replacing old people with young ones whenever those persons retired. Further, young people were taking initiatives in creating self-employing jobs, which was encouraged by the Government.
Underground work had only generated living conditions for individuals who were involved in such forms of employment, the delegation said. However, the Government was encouraging people to join the formal work market, which was a means of economic integration, and to be part of the "bankable" economic sector.
There were 17 trade unions that claimed to be central and who exercised their union rights, the delegation said. During the last six months, the trade unions had exercised their right to strike on several occasions, separately or in concert. The trade unions had claimed rights in 24,000 cases.
With regard to the rights of children, Morocco had ratified International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention No. 138 on the minimum age to take employment, the delegation said. In addition, the Government had taken appropriate measures against child labour, reflecting its political will to end that phenomenon. In the sector of crafts, where children usually worked, the Government had signed an agreement of partnership to train craftsmen so that they might employ children. Children who had dropped out of school were also provided with on-the-job training to enable them to acquire knowledge for their future permanent employment.
The Hassan II institute dealt with social and economic aspects while the Mohammed V institute worked on social development and solidarity, the delegation said. In order to prevent the negative effects of privatization, part of the money obtained from privatization went to the Hassan II institute which in part assisted persons affected by the process.
With regard to street children, the Government had carried out a study on the phenomenon and had started a promising experiment in helping those children who lived in the streets, the delegation said. The Government was conscious that it had to take preventive actions before the phenomenon became rampant. In addition, the national children's rights observatory had held a study day on the subject of violence and maltreatment of children and had dedicated 1999 as the year of awareness of child maltreatment.
Children were serving as domestic servants and adoptive servitude was accepted with the Government taking no action against it, an Expert said, adding that it was a cruel system. Because of the accepted servitude, no salary was given to the child servant; and there was no guarantee that the child would leave and return to her parents whenever she desired to do so. Another Expert added that incidents of child labour were widespread in all sectors of the economy.
The delegation said that the Government did not deny the existence of the problem of child labour in the country, but the situation had been changing in the past two years. The fact that Morocco was a society of extended family meant that children used to work in the family enterprises without any problems, but with the evolution of the society, that act became an exploitation of the child under relevant international conventions.
In follow-up questions, Committee Experts asked about the Government's efforts to resolve maltreatment of women and the protection of victims in the event that they lodged complaints against their perpetrators; about the length of the maternity leave granted to pregnant working women; if it was punishable by law to dismiss a pregnant woman from her work; about the specific measures taken by the Government to break up the chain of poverty in many families; about the situation of homelessness; the age limit for girls to get married; the legal status of children born out of wedlock; and about forced eviction of poor people and their exploitation by landlords because of their situation.
In addition, Experts asked if medical and DNA testing was made available to determine the paternal relations of an "illegitimate" child; about malnutrition among the most vulnerable groups of the society and the measures to alleviate the problem; and about the Government's efforts to supply clean drinking water to its population, among other things.
Since 1959, there had been no forced marriages in Morocco because of a law which declared such unions null and void, the delegation said. On the issue of social housing, new provisions had been provided in the acquisition of such houses with loans from banks. For less fortunate ones, other arrangements were put in place in which they could live in decent houses. In addition, the Government had endeavoured to improve rural situations so that people would be encouraged to stay in their own environment with better conditions. During the two-year drought in Morocco, shanty houses were built around the capital city.
* *** *