Morocco champions human rights in business at UN event in Geneva
For Habib Belkouch, Interministerial Delegate for Human Rights (DIDH), Morocco's participation in the forum aims to «expand the circle of stakeholders in the human rights project» by fully integrating businesses. He emphasized that this topic, now central to United Nations debates, is part of ongoing discussions around a binding international treaty on business and human rights.
According to Belkouch, «Morocco brings to Geneva the conclusions of the Morocco-Africa Forum in Marrakech», recently held to help forge a common approach between Africa and the Arab world.
He outlined three key pillars of Moroccan policy:
- Protecting workers' rights, through a new law on the right to strike, described as «a balanced law that protects both workers and business interests».
- Combating child labor, reaffirming that «a child's rightful place is in school».
- Promoting gender parity in corporate governance, with legal targets of 30% women on company boards by 2024 and 40% by 2027.
CGEM at the Forefront
Representing the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM), Youssef Alaoui noted that 95% of the Moroccan private sector is made up of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). With over 90,000 members, CGEM has become a key player in social dialogue and economic governance.
Since 2007, it has developed governance codes tailored to companies of all sizes, recently reinforced by an annual barometer for responsible governance. On the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) front, CGEM has awarded more than 150 Corporate Social Responsibility labels, now recognized at the European level through the Responsibility Europe network. A dedicated Responsible SME label has also been launched to support smaller businesses.
On the social side, Alaoui praised the structured tripartite dialogue between the government, trade unions, and employers, which has led to a 20% increase in the minimum wage over the past six years. The constitutional right to strike is now regulated by a 2024 law that guarantees both union freedom and the right to work.
Advancing Gender Parity in Governance
Another key achievement, according to Alaoui—who also chairs the CGEM group in the Chamber of Advisors—is the extension of mandatory health insurance to 86% of the population, backed by a public contribution of 35 billion dirhams.
CGEM has also launched a Social Academy, which has already trained over 100 managers in conflict prevention and collective bargaining, 42% of them women.
Highlighting the link between diversity, economic performance, and sustainability, Alaoui called for a shift in mindset where women's representation in leadership is no longer symbolic but seen as a true growth driver. «Some companies already have 50 to 60% women in their governance structures», he noted. He also highlighted that child labor in Morocco has been reduced by 90% over the past two decades, dropping from 600,000 in 1999 to fewer than 60,000 today. Anti-child labor clauses, he added, will be integrated into CSR frameworks, especially in high-risk sectors like agriculture, construction, and textiles.
International Recognition
UN representatives praised Morocco's efforts. Pernille Fenger, Director of the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) office in Geneva, commended the quality of strategic dialogue with the Moroccan government, particularly on gender equality and reproductive rights, with a focus on youth, women, and people with disabilities.
Olga Nilova, a specialist in the UNDP's Business and Human Rights program, applauded Morocco for convening more than 300 participants, from governments, businesses, unions, and NGOs, and reaffirmed the UNDP's support for implementing the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
Through this high-level event, Morocco sought to present a model that reconciles economic development, social inclusion, and human rights—a complex challenge, but one rooted in a clear vision: a private sector that drives transformation in the service of shared prosperity.
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