CNDH RELEASES MEMO ON FIGHTING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
The National Human Rights Council (CNDH) released a memorandum on violence against women at a press conference on the 6th of Feb. 2014, at its main office in Rabat. The memo was adopted by its Sixth Plenary Session. It’s a contribution to the public debate on a Bill submitted earlier by the competent government department.
Violence against women is indeed a human rights violation. It’s a sex-based discrimination that should be eliminated. According to CNDH Chairman, Mr. Driss El Yazami, fighting violence against women is a central and strategic project. It’s a shared responsibility.
The CNDH, he said, is committed to work and collaborate with the government and all stakeholders concerned for this noble cause: fighting violence against one half of the Moroccan population.
It is mandatory to mobilize all stakeholders to achieve gender equality and democracy and implement the Constitution. The executive should speed up the process to adopt a law to fight violence against women that should be based on the human rights based approach and in compliance with the international standard, he stated.
The memo includes recommendations to fight this scourge, starting with the concept and definition of violence against women themselves that should aligned with the international standards and norms.
The CNDH recommends no impunity to the violators, give priority to domestic violence, review or adopt laws to penalize violence against women, adopting prevention, protection and reparation measures, eliminating all forms of discrimination, in laws and practice, promoting equality and parity, etc.