“We have chosen to dialogue in an event with high moral symbolism, at a time when some so-called traditional democracies use human rights as weapons in obtuse political games, betraying their very essence,” deplored Bouayach in an address at the opening of the World Pre-Forum on Human Rights in Rabat, which is attended by several institutions, experts, university professors and representatives of national and international human rights organizations.
She said, in this regard, that this global pre-forum, organized by the National Council for Human Rights in collaboration with the International Center for the Promotion of Human Rights (ICPDH) – UNESCO, aims to renew the commitment to common values in the face of rapid changes that the world is going through, stressing that “a permanent watch is, indeed, necessary to examine the challenges, define priorities and implement strategies, drawing on the universal to advance the local.”
CNDH president noted, moreover, that this event’s three themes of debate, namely transitional justice and memory, migration, and climate change are themes on which Morocco can boast a solid and unique experience.
The so-called “emerging” countries, she continued, can contribute much to this debate, as demonstrated by the meetings during the preparation of the Global Compact on Migration, or during its adoption in Marrakech, expressing her concern that no Western country has ratified the international convention for the protection of migrants and their families, while “our countries voluntarily submit to the review and universal evaluation.”
For his part, the Argentine Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship, Santiago Cafiero, welcomed the organization in Morocco of this pre-world forum on human rights, hailing the choice of themes selected for this international event.
Speaking in a video address, Cafiero said that the main objective of these debates is to facilitate a frank and transparent dialogue between all States, with the active participation of civil society in order to act effectively in the face of emergencies in the field of human rights, adding that the sessions organized over two days will greatly enrich the debates in Buenos Aires next March.
For her part, Executive Director of the International Center for the Promotion of Human Rights (ICPD)-UNESCO, Fernanda Gil Lozano, pointed out that this pre-forum is an opportunity to shed light on the issues, challenges and prospects related to human rights, at regional and international levels.
In this regard, she emphasized the need to address these issues in a universal language that respects the difference and guarantees the dignity of societies, pleading, in this regard, for concerted efforts between governments, civil society and individuals to strengthen the common commitment to human rights, transitional justice and climate change.
The Argentine official highlighted, in this sense, Morocco’s commitment to climate-related issues, recalling the progress made by the Kingdom in the ranking of the Global Climate Change Performance Index. Gil Lozano also welcomed the content of the speech delivered by Her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Hasnaa at the 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP27).
