Morocco has not accepted a number of the recommendations forwarded by the UN human rightscommittee….
Morocco has not accepted a number of the recommendations forwarded by the United Nations human rights committee. Out of the 244 recommendations it received, Morocco acknowledged 191 of them, considering that 23 are already being studied and 168 are part of a reform project that is being approved. Thursday, September 21, is the day the committee is gathering for its 36th session, but the Moroccan government has already announced its preliminary response.
In particular, out of 44 highly contentious issues, over half were rejected. In 2012, when the previous cycle of exam of the UN had taken place, Morocco had rejected only eight out of 148 recommendations.
This time Rabat does not intend to accept advice on the criminalization of unmarried mothers and on the legal recognition of children born out of wedlock. It also is not open on the possibility of using DNA testing to determine the paternity of a child or to cancel from identification papers all signs identifying a child as born out of wedlock, cancelling legislation that discriminates those who are born outside of marriage.
It also did not acknowledge the recommendation to set at 18 the minimum age for marriage, as well as a call to protect children from discrimination, for example in the event their parents are divorced. Women are also excluded from inheriting under legislation that is set to remain in place. Polygamy will remain legal.
The Constitution approved in 2011 calls for gender equality but provides for a ”special framework” of the country based on the ”Muslim religion”, ”national unity based on multiculturalism”, ”the constitutional monarchy and the democratic choice”. Morocco said it did not accept UN recommendations that were ”in contradiction with the founding principles of the nation”.
