Moroccan Association for Human Rights

Description

The Moroccan Association for Human Rights is one of the largest human rights organisations in Morocco. It was founded in Rabat on 24 June 1979 to defend and promote human rights and human dignity in Morocco and Western Sahara. It is recognised by the state as an association of public utility.

The association bases its work on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international covenants, and holds that the struggle for human rights is universal and must be pursued together with the oppressed, the exploited and defenders of dignity, freedom, equality and social justice.

It has around 14,000 members and dozens of local branches across Morocco, organised into regional sections under a National Congress, an Administrative Commission and a Central Office, with additional sections in Madrid, Paris, Brussels and Lille. It is funded mainly by membership dues and accepts outside funding only when this does not compromise its independence.

Its work covers women’s rights, justice, youth, labour, freedom of association and expression, economic and social rights, and migration and refugees. It publishes a monthly newspaper and an annual report on the state of human rights in Morocco, organises conferences, training and awareness campaigns, and supports victims of violations, including by acting as a civil party in court. It is a member of international networks such as the International Federation of Human Rights Leagues, the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network and the World Organization against Torture, and holds observer status at the United Nations Economic and Social Council.