Assahafa.com
Morocco’s National Observatory for the Rights of the Child (ONDE) launched here on Saturday the 17th National Congress on the Rights of the Child under the theme “The Child and Contemporary Challenges: What Roadmap for 2030?”.
Held on the occasion of National Children’s Rights Day, under the effective presidency of Her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Meryem, President of the ONDE, this new edition, which coincides with the 30th anniversary of the ONDE, brings together over two days a wide range of stakeholders, namely public institutions, national and international experts, UN bodies, civil society organizations and child parliamentarians from different regions of the Kingdom, a press release from the Observatory says.
It is part of the particular action and constant interest shown by His Majesty King Mohammed VI regarding children’s issues, taking shape in various strategies pursued by the Sovereign, notably the reform of the education system and the implementation of social protection, the press release stresses, adding that this 17th edition also aims to offer a space for reflection, dialogue and co-construction in a context where social, environmental and technological transformations impose new challenges.
For this new edition of the Congress, the Observatory is shedding light on pressing issues such as the protection of children against violence -including online violence-, inclusive education, climate change, digital transformations, mental health and child-friendly justice, the same source states.
Speaking on this occasion, ONDE Vice-President Ghizlane Benjelloun, quoted in the press release, paid tribute to the effective support and commitment of Her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Meryem to children’s issues, before stressing that “children’s rights are at the crossroads of numerous challenges, which call on us to strengthen collective commitment and further pool efforts for the effective protection of children’s rights”.
The 17th edition of the Congress prioritizes the voice of children, giving them a platform to express their perspective on rights. In her opening remarks, child parliamentarian Abir Boukataya appealed to decision-makers and institutional leaders, as well as to families, to ensure that the rights of her peers “are no longer an aspiration but a reality”, adding that “children’s voices must not only be heard, but truly taken into consideration”.
Held until May 25, the Congress will feature several participatory and multidisciplinary workshops, with an active participation by all stakeholders to draw up recommendations in view of bolstering the institutional, social and legal foundations of child protection in Morocco, the press release concludes.
Source: map
