The 22nd national campaign to combat violence against women and girls was launched on Monday in Rabat, under the theme: “For a family environment favorable to social development without violence against women”. with a series of events planned at national and regional level until December 10.
Launched during a meeting organized at the initiative of the Ministry of Solidarity, Social Integration and the Family, in partnership with the office of the United Nations Population Fund in Morocco (UNFPA), this campaign registered as part of the implementation of the High Guidelines of HM King Mohammed VI aimed at promoting the conditions of women in the various social, economic, cultural and environmental areas.
Running from November 25, which coincides with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, to December 10 (World Human Rights Day), the campaign is also part of the tireless efforts of the ministry aimed at guaranteeing a safe family environment that rejects violence, based on the values of dialogue and education, capable of consolidating the values of equality and living together within the Moroccan family.
Speaking on this occasion, the Minister of Solidarity, Social Inclusion and Family, Naima Ben Yahia, emphasized the preventive approach, which makes it possible to promote the values of equality and the culture of living. together from the family and in favor of the family and society, emphasizing that this is a development which offers women and girls a family environment allowing their effective participation in public life, their contribution in various areas and the preservation of their rights and dignity.
Ms. Ben Yahya recalled that Morocco was the first country in the region to launch a national strategy to combat violence against women, a related implementation plan, as well as major programs including the various governmental and non-governmental departments, civil society and international organizations.
The ministry, she added, adopted, as part of the implementation of the commitments of the 2021-2026 government program, a series of ambitious policies and programs relating to women, children and the family, in order to improve targeting and achieve a tangible impact in the short and medium term, and develop partnership and coordination tools between all sectors.
For her part, the representative of UNFPA in Morocco, Marielle Sander, welcomed the organization of this campaign which “aims to support the family and fight against the various forms of violence within it”, which allows to build a generation aware of its rights and obligations, and active in the development of its country.
The UN official stressed that the UNFPA program seeks to strengthen the scope of its partnership with Morocco through a serious commitment to implementing the various UN initiatives aimed at protecting women’s rights, supporting equality of opportunities and to achieve equality within the family, in addition to promoting a culture of non-violence.
The Minister of Equipment and Water, Nizar Baraka, for his part, indicated that the protection of women and girls from violence is not a distinct or isolated issue, but rather is part of issues global policies closely linked to multiple areas such as education, health, employment and development, stressing that this campaign reflects the commitment of all government departments to continue efforts in favor of equity and the fight against the various forms of violence against women.
And to add, in this sense, that his department has adopted a global approach aimed at promoting gender equality, while ensuring that the multiple challenges affecting women and girls are addressed.
For his part, the Secretary General of the Presidency of the Public Prosecutor’s Office, Hicham Bellaoui, noted that the strengthening of criminal policy in the area of combating violence against women constitutes an essential step to achieve justice. and preserve women’s rights, recalling that violence against women in Morocco, like several other countries, represents a serious challenge which requires the operationalization of effective penal policies which contribute to putting an end to this phenomenon and to protect the victims.
Mr. Bellaoui noted that the fight against violence against women requires coordination between various actors in society, including judicial authorities, security services, non-governmental organizations and health agencies, in order to establish a comprehensive support network providing the necessary legal, psychological and medical assistance to victims, in addition to the development of legislation and legal mechanisms capable of guaranteeing a safe environment that protects women from all forms of violence.
The vice-president of the National Union of Women of Morocco, Amina Oufroukhi, for her part, stressed that the Union was a pioneer in the field of defending women’s rights, by working to promote equality and the elimination of all forms of discrimination, noting that the empowerment of women constitutes one of the major development projects in Morocco.
Ms. Oufroukhi also recalled the content of the “Marrakech Declaration”, which is one of the most significant initiatives in the field of combating violence against women, and which constitutes a road map for the protection of women against violence, stressing that this initiative has received praise from UN Women as a successful international model that has managed to motivate and mobilize the various government departments concerned.
Placed under the sign “A family without violence, builds a healthy society”, this national campaign is in harmony with the vision of the development model, in particular by adopting a policy of zero tolerance towards violence against women.
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