The British Embassy in Rabat has for many years supported Morocco's ongoing process of democratisation, modernisation and improvements in good governance and human rights. This commitment is constantly being strengthened by setting up programmes covering a wide range of areas that will together provide firm foundations for future reform and development. Each of the projects makes use of British expertise in close co-operation with local and international experts. Moroccan ministries and NGOs play an important role, providing leadership, advice and often joint financing. The projects have established British co-operation with many sectors of Moroccan society including judges, lawyers, journalists, academics, civil servants, civil society activists, environmentalists and rural populations.
|
Financial Year 2004-2005
(£227,845)
Human Rights
- The development and distribution of a booklet on the new Family Code to improve women rights. The booklet is being developed through a series of Focus Groups led by the National Democratic Institute amongst semi-literate women, and will be distributed through a network of more than 300 local NGOs. Civil society representatives from Algeria, Mauritania and Tunisia have been invited to share expertise with their Moroccan counterparts. (£214,045).
- Regional workshops for the training of Moroccan teachers on human rights modules. The modules had been developed in co-ordination between Khemisset and York schools. A project led by the British Council (£4,200).
Environment:
- Raising environment awareness for 950 semi-literate women and 1,000 children. The project is led by Chourouk pour le Développement Social. (£3,200).
Girls schooling:
will organise a series of plays aimed at raising awareness about the importance of schooling and literacy for little girls. 20 performances will be organised in villages across the Tafilalet region. (£6,400). |
|
Financial Year 2003-2004
(£254,402)
Human Rights
- The establishment of an independent prisoners’ complain structure to follow up with any human rights violations in Moroccan prisons. Project developed by Observatoire Marocain des Prisons and supported by the Central Prison Administration. (£ 21,417 - two year project)
- Exchange project for the development of human rights education material by schools from York and Khemisset. Project led by the British Council (£7,000)
Electoral Awareness:
- The development and distribution of electoral awareness booklets to improve semi-literate women knowledge about local elections. (£14,863).
- Electoral awareness courses for 625 women in Beni Mellal. Project led by Femme Action (£2,370)
Rule of Law:
- Strengthening Morocco's Judicial and Administrative Reforms through the creation of court-annexed Alternative Dispute Resolution mechanisms. The project is implemented by Search for Common Ground in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice. (£196,902)
Media Freedom:
- A Seminar on Media Freedom in the Middle East and North Africa. Developed by the Centre for Media Freedom. (£2,162).
HIV/ SIDA
- A Seminar on HIV at the workplace. Project led by Union General des Travailleurs Marocains. (£8,000).
IT:
- The commission of a study for the development of an internet gateway for NGOs. Project developed by Association Marocaine pour la Solidarité et le Développement - AMSED. (£1,688)
|
|
Financial Year 2002 - 2003
(Total : £203,031)
Human Rights
-
Penal Reform International
will hold two training sessions of one week each to introduce 20 staff from Oukacha and other juvenile detention centres to good practices in dealing with juveniles in conflict with the law. (£86,395)
- In co-ordination with the Ministry for National Education: development of human rights within the curriculum, including a teacher training programme. This is the last year of the program. (£24,466)
- York and Khemisset exchange program prepared by British Council: human rights and citizenship toolkit development (£7,000)
- International Human Rights Law Group organised a month of awareness on women rights for girls at risk of prostitution.
- Centre des Droits des Gens: Human rights training sessions for 120 NGOs Human rights NGOs (6,909)
Mediation and Conflict resolution
-
Search for Common Ground Morocco
has organised a workshop on « mediation skills to resolve local labour conflicts » for 22 Moroccan participants. (£3,498)
Literacy / awareness raising
theatre company has organised 4 plays in rural areas to raise awareness about the importance of schooling, environment and women health. (£2,600)
Environment:
-
Ministry of Education Delegation in Casablanca:
Environment awareness for 1200 students (£3,030)
Elections / Media:
-
National Democratic Institute for International Affairs
(NDI) will organise a 4-day skills based session on electoral reporting for 30 journalists. (£19,665)
-
Secretary of State for the family
: Workshop on Media coverage for disability issues in Morocco (£1,867) : Electoral awareness for 70 women in Fès (£580) Train 12 NGOs on electoral awareness (£1,082) :Legal Literacy for 220 women (£1,213)
IT initiatives
- Al Akhawayn University will develop an E-Gov portal prototype to provide citizens with information on the municipality of Fes, the Services it provides, and on-line access to some forms. (£9,254)
- The Moroccan Prime Minister’s Office for Telecommunications ( SEPTTI) will develop a Website to list all Moroccan (the most important ones at this stage) calls for tender. (£35,472) – Site to be launched soon.
|
|
Financial Year 2001 – 2002
(Total : £86,819)
Human Rights
- In co-ordination with the Ministry for National Education: development of human rights within the curriculum, including a teacher training programme. This is the second year of a three-year program. (£10,534)
- A report on localised fundraising for women rights NGOs. Partner: International Human Rights Law Group. (£1,177)
HIV/AIDS awareness raising
- Funding for ALCS – Marrakech to run an awareness raising programme with male prostitutes in Marrakech. (£1,108)
Elections
: Help rural and illiterate populations, particularly women, understand the relevance of the democratic process to their lives and why their active and free participation in elections matters. Objective: Identify effective ways to spread electoral awareness including the use of discussion groups and booklets. Partner: International Human Rights Law Group (Stephanie Willman). (£50,000)
Mediation and Conflict resolution
-
Mediation skills improvement:
Assistance to European Centre for Common Ground initiative on mediation and collaborative problem solving as a means to settle social disputes.(£24,000) |
|
Financial Year 2000 – 2001
Human Rights
- Development of a human rights awareness through training seminars in co-operation with the Moroccan Centre for Human Rights Documentation, Information and Training
.
Civil Service Reform
- UK human resources experts from the University of Manchester have worked with the Moroccan Civil Service Ministry on new procedures for management and performance evaluation. As part of the project, the Minister for Civil Service and Public Administration Reform visited London in March 2001 to look at civil service practices in Britain and meet his colleagues there.
Judicial and Penal Reform
- Penal reform: A 4-day seminar was held in November 2000 in Ifrane with the Ministry for Justice and international NGO, Penal Reform International. Objective: Examine possible amendments to the draft Penal Code and Penal Procedure Code to increase the use of alternatives to imprisonment such as community service.
- Judicial reform: In partnership with a business school in Agadir (ENCG), a training programme was organised for 15 commercial judges in Marrakech. The objective was to familiarise the judges with the business background to the cases they have to deal with. English language training is also being provided for judges in Marrakech.
Literacy/Education
- Literacy Centre in Ben-Mellal to give vocational training and literacy classes to rural women. Objective: Teach 200 women a year to read, write, and earn money. Completed. Partner: Feminin Pluriel (Mme Rachiq)
- Construction of a village school in Douar Aghbal near Oujda. Objective: help and encourage the people of remote villages to build a small school themselves, at minimal cost and using mostly local materials. Partner: Horizons Ouverts
Environment
- Projects with the Society for the Protection of Animals in North Africa (SPANA - Gigi Kay) and Rabat Zoo aim to increase awareness about global, regional and local environmental issues, especially conservation, wildlife, water and land management, and the importance of caring for working animals.
- The Botanical Gardens and Education Centre at the Institut Agronomique et Veterinaire Hassan II (Professor Regdali) in Rabat have co-operation programmes with various Universities in the UK, and have also benefited from grants from the UK’s Darwin Initiative, which aims to protect bio diversity world wide. The Centre at the IAV will play a key role in conserving Morocco’s biodiversity for future generations.
- 3 NGOs in Morocco and one in Oxford, UK have worked on educational materials designed specifically for Moroccan schools to teach school children about their environment.
Media:
- ELT for journalists in Rabat and Casablanca in February and July 2000
- Thomson Foundation courses on the techniques of general reporting in Rabat and Casablanca in March 2000. Partner: SNPM (Younes Moujahid)
- Thomson Foundation course for three journalists in Cardiff in April 2000
- Thomson Foundation course on economic journalism in Casablanca in September 2000
- Two journalists (one from RTM Fes and one from MAP) participated in work experience at the Financial Times and the BBC Arabic Service in April 2001
- Two journalists from MAP news agency participated in a Thomson Foundation /FANA course in Beirut in November 2000
- One engineer from MAP news agency participated in a FANA technical training in London
- Media Foundation course in Marrakech on media and human rights in April 2000 (part of training seminars in co-operation with the Moroccan Centre for Human Rights Documentation, Information and Training)
- Environmental reporting and investigate reporting training for journalists with Thomson Foundation.
|
