South African human rights activist Sarah Motha said Saturday at a Johannesburg symposium under the theme “Achievements and reforms carried out by the Kingdom of Morocco over the past 23 years” that Morocco is a pioneer country in Africa in the field of human rights, thanks to the reforms initiated over the past two years.
Ms. Sarah Motha, who is also an ambassador for the global network of ecovillages-Africa, reviewed some of the reforms, including the adoption of the 2011 Constitution, the introduction of the new Family Code and the creation of the Equity and Reconciliation Commission (IER) and the establishment of the National Initiative for Human Development (INDH).
She added that Morocco is a signatory to the most progressive international conventions on the promotion of human rights.
Regarding the Kingdom’s new constitution, Ms. Motha affirmed that it gives primacy to gender equality, the role of civil society, human rights and the strengthening of the judiciary, adding that Morocco has ratified most of the legislative instruments relating to human rights since the 1970s, such as the fight against discrimination against women.
These statements refute the conclusions of the resolution adopted by the European Parliament concerning the situation of journalists in Morocco.