Under the theme “Beijing after 30 years: mobilising the United Nations human rights system to advance gender equality and full enjoyment of women’s and girls’ rights,” the meeting provided Morocco with a platform to share its experience and proposals regarding international human rights governance.
In a statement, El Habib Belkouch emphasised the strategic importance of participating in the Human Rights Council’s work, noting that these forums are essential platforms for tracking developments at both national and international levels. He highlighted Morocco’s contribution through the organisation in Rabat of an international symposium marking 20 years of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), describing it as the first such initiative worldwide.
According to him, the symposium produced concrete recommendations aimed at improving the effectiveness of one of the UN system’s most robust accountability mechanisms. “This is not an isolated event but a step within a comprehensive strategy to strengthen and streamline international human rights mechanisms,” he explained.
In this context, the Moroccan official mentioned preparations for an upcoming international meeting dedicated to evaluating the various components of the UN system, including special procedures—rapporteurs and working groups—and treaty bodies. The goal is to reflect on better institutional coherence, given the proliferation of mechanisms and occasional thematic overlaps, particularly in areas such as children’s rights.
El Habib Belkouch also highlighted the current international context, which he described as a “period of crisis,” but paradoxically an opportunity to drive ambitious reforms. “Emerging from the crisis requires setting positive prospects, consolidating gains, and strengthening the place of human rights in the face of challenges observed in several regions of the world,” he stated.
Furthermore, he showcased Morocco’s experience with national mechanisms for monitoring and implementing international recommendations. Presented as a developing model at the international level, this approach has attracted growing interest from several countries. “States like South Korea, the Netherlands, and the United Arab Emirates have shown interest in Morocco’s experience and have engaged in exchanges to learn from it,” he noted.
For the interministerial delegate, these national mechanisms represent the future of human rights action, as they enable the transition from formulating recommendations to their effective implementation. “It is at this level that the real realisation of human rights takes place,” he concluded.
He added that this topic was among the most prominent subjects presented during the Glion forum, to which Morocco contributed last year, confirming its commitment to actively participate in structuring debates on the future of the international human rights system, while promoting its own progress and advocating for more efficient and coherent governance.
