During the oral questions session, held Monday October 14 in the House of Representatives, Aawatif Hayar, Minister of Solidarity, Social Integration and Family, presented the significant progress made by Morocco in the field of child protection and the fight against child labor.
Morocco has implemented an integrated public child protection policy, which has already enabled the creation of more than 83 protection centers across the country. This policy, the result of a rigorous assessment of existing gaps, aims to generalize protection measures at the territorial level. Hayar clarified that 81 regional committees have also been established to ensure better implementation of this policy.
« Our approach has made it possible to support more than 6,500 children in street situations over the last two years, 700 of whom have been integrated into social protection institutions. “, underlined the minister. These figures reflect the efforts made to meet the needs of vulnerable children and offer them a better future.
Concerning the fight against child labor, the Minister of Solidarity mentioned the creation of dedicated units within the Ministry of Employment. Although these cells play a crucial role, some of them are not yet fully active. To alleviate this situation, the government adopted a new approach via the entrepreneurial family policy, aimed at improving the economic situation of Moroccan families and thus reducing the risk of child exploitation.
The minister also highlighted the social center rehabilitation program, which aims to improve the services offered. As part of the strategy “ Pont“, 4,200 social centers will be rehabilitated, with 500 centers already modernized this year. “ Thanks to digitalization, we managed to go from 500,000 beneficiaries in 2021 to more than 1.2 million last yeare,” she added.
Speaking about the employment of people with disabilities, Hayar announced that 7% of positions in the public sector are reserved for them. This initiative, coupled with the organization of a competition for 400 positions, shows the government’s commitment to promoting the inclusion of people with disabilities in the labor market.
Regarding the issue of protecting the privacy of children on social networks, Hayar highlighted the importance of family support. The program “ Family Bridge » was launched to train parents in healthy education adapted to today’s digital reality.
These initiatives shine the spotlight on Morocco’s desire to strengthen its social policy and guarantee a safe environment conducive to the development of children. With sustained efforts, the country aspires to reduce the gap between objectives and reality.
