Virtual Magazine of Morocco on the Web
Morocco Week in Review 
December 13, 2008

Moroccan group pushes to register marriage contracts in rural villages.
By Imane Belhaj 2008-11-23

The rural practice of unregistered marriages has long posed a problem in Morocco. Now, armed with bullhorns at farmers' markets, a women's group is reaching out to get people registered before the government deadline. In rural areas of Morocco, many marriages based solely on readings from the fatiha lack a civil contract and official documentation. Children born of such marriages are not registered in the civil status records. Four year ago, Morocco set out to change that with the new Family Code, which established a February 2009 deadline for married men and women to officially register with the government.

In early November —with that deadline less than three months away--the Moroccan Association for Combating Violence against Women (AMVF) mounted an urgent outreach campaign targeting the Kingdom's rural population. "The program, which is sponsored by the Emergency Intervention Fund in Africa, features campaigns in several rural areas to encourage citizens to register their marriage contracts and settle the conditions of their children in order to protect and guarantee their rights in terms of custody, alimony and inheritance," said AMVF President Karima Kassmi.

The RAHMA Center, which is affiliated to AMVF, has begun holding open meetings aimed at clarifying the importance of registering marriage contracts. Legal experts and social workers set up information tents at Souk Jamaa Akarta, 60k from Safi Valley, on Friday (November 14th) and at Souk Sebt Gzoula on Saturday (November 22nd). More than 500 citizens attended these campaigns, during which bulletins containing information on the necessary documents for proving and registering the matrimonial relationship were distributed. In addition, several exemplars of the forms needed for the court to have proof of the marriage were provided to the public.

Kassmi expressed her sorrow that the campaign was not launched years ago."There are a lot of rural people who have no knowledge about it," she said, noting that there are many problems when children of these unions are themselves ready to marry: "They don't have the necessary civil documents; something that turns them away from marriage."

Ahmed el Hamdouni, a volunteer with AMVF, told Magharebia about a 26-year-old young man whose parents were separated without having a marriage contract or any civil record regarding their child. "This young man wanted to get married, but because he didn't have any official documents, he was not able to. As soon as he heard about the AMVF campaign at Souk Jamaa Akarta, he brought his parents and asked AMVF to intervene to solve their problem."

The association would gather the necessary family statements to try to help the young man document his birth, he said. One young woman was surprised at what she learned at the information tent. "We thought it was going to focus on violence against women, but it was very positive. We didn't expect it would be of interest, but this is helpful."

AMVF has chosen crowded weekly markets as the best venue for staging its campaigns; the busy locations help the group deliver its message to the greatest number of rural residents. Association members provide information on required documents, then direct citizens to civil status officers. These volunteers hand the documents free of charge to the court in order to facilitate things for residents of remote villages.
http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2008/11/23/feature-01
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Japan grants Morocco $ 1mln to minimize Water shortage.
Beni Mellal (center), 5 Dec. 2008 (MAP)

The Japanese government has granted Oum Errabia Watershed Agency some $ 1 mln to finance a project to minimize the shortage of Water linked to climate hazards. The donation was granted through the World Bank delegation, which concluded Friday a five-day visit to Beni Mellal to identify the water-related action plans to be drawn up.

Besides supporting and planning the use of water, the grant is meant to strengthen the necessary regulatory action to meet the challenges of water scarcity in Oum Errabia basin, the Agency's director, Abdelaziz Zerouali told MAP. The project to minimize water shortage provides for, inter alia, studying the impact of climate change and developing an action plan for extreme events such as drought and floods. http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/economy/japan_grants_morocco_3/view
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Morocco on track to achieve MDGs by 2015, HCP.
Rabat, 26 Nov. 2008 (MAP)

In human development, Morocco has achieved some of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and it is on the track to fully achieve the other goals by 2015, High Commissioner for Planning, Ahmed Alami Lahlimi, said. The first MDG on eradicating extreme poverty and hunger has been achieved in Morocco, said Lahlimi, who presented the results of the 3rd national report on the MDGs at a national seminar, organized here Wednesday.

Relative poverty decreased to 9% in 2007 down from 15.3% in 2001, while the rate of vulnerability stood at 17.5% in 2007 against 22.8% in 2001, said the report. To consolidate these gains, Lahlimi added, the Kingdom allotted in 2009 53% of the state budget to social sectors against 42% in 1992.

Morocco also managed to completely eradicate malaria, which is part of the 6th MDGs, he said, adding that efforts remain to be made to tackle HIV/AIDS and other diseases, like tuberculosis. Among the measures undertaken by the government in this regard, Lahlimi went on to say, the establishment of the national program to fight tuberculosis and the national strategic plan to fight AIDS, which aim to provide access to prevention, treatment, and care.

Morocco is working to achieve the 2nd goal on universal primary education. The generalization of education is a goal that will be achieved by 2015, while in the field of literacy for youth (15-24 years), the North African country seeks to increase the rate of achieving this objective to 3.49% instead of 2.1% currently, Lahlimi pointed out.

As for the 7th goal on ensuring environmental sustainability, the report noted that the segment of population having access to drinking water reached 85% in 2007 in rural areas (14% in 1994) against 100% in urban areas (74% in 1994).

There are eight MDGs, namely eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, achieving universal primary education, promoting gender equality and empowering women, reducing child mortality, improving maternal health, combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, ensuring environmental sustainability, and developing a global partnership for development.
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Morocco, a country with low prevalence of HIV infection, Health Ministry.
Rabat, 30 Nov. 2008 (MAP)

Morocco remains a country with low prevalence of HIV infection, with a rate of 0.08% among the general population, said the Ministry of Health. The cumulative number of AIDS cases reported since 1986 is 2,798, the ministry said in a statement published on the occasion of World AIDS day, celebrated every year on December 1st, , stressing the need to strengthen vigilance against the epidemic.

"During the period 2005-2008, and through preventive actions, the number of people who are aware of HIV/AIDS, especially youth and women, has nearly tripled to reach 750,000 from 240,000," added the same source, noting that in terms of screening, the number of beneficiaries increased from 10,000 to 43,000 people during the same period.

According to the Ministry, the Action Plan "Health 2008-2012" provides for , inter alia, expanding access to HIV screening, medical care (tritherapy, treatment of opportunistic infections and biological monitoring) and psychosocial support for people living with HIV. Since 2003, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria provides consistent support to the implementation of the national strategy against AIDS, the same source said.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/social/morocco_a_country_w/view
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Morocco to launch fund-raising campaign to fight AIDS.
Casablanca, Nov. 26 (MAP)

Morocco will launch a fund and awareness-raising campaign to fight AIDS, the Moroccan Association to fight AIDS (ALCS) announced on Tuesday. "Sidaction 2008" will take place on December 8-31 with the objective of raising the awareness of the Moroccans on the prevention of HIV infection, and encouraging the youth to take screening tests, ALCS said.

The campaign will also aim at fighting the stigma that surrounds people living with HIV, and raising funds to provide care to needy HIV-positives. Organized under the banner "Together to Fight AIDS", this second edition of Sidaction (the first was organized in 2005) includes a communication campaign that features TV and Radio reports, accounts and debates led by national and international experts.

The money collected from this campaign will be submitted to control by international auditing offices, ALCS ensured. The 2005 edition of the campaign had collected some MAD25 mln (about $3 mln).
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Moroccan study finds prostitutes lacking AIDS awareness.
By Imrane Binoual 2008-11-27

For a new study on AIDS awareness, a Moroccan organisation chose to survey a population living in the shadows: prostitutes. Results showed members that their message about AIDS is "not getting through". A groundbreaking study published in mid-November by the Morocco section of the Pan-African Organisation for the Fight Against AIDS (OPALS) focused on an activity that is a major source of sexually transmitted diseases – prostitution. "Prostitution is closely linked with the economic, social and mental situation of those who are involved in it," the November 13th report said.

With a headquarters in Rabat and 16 branches across the Kingdom, OPALS is dedicated to fighting AIDS in three areas: prevention, community action and medical care, including gynecological services and free, anonymous screening. To assess the magnitude of the problem in Morocco, OPALS researchers ventured into undocumented territory for the new study. More sex workers were interviewed than in any previous survey on sexual diseases, and the organisation conducted research in mid-Atlas towns such as El Hajeb, Azrou, Imouzzer and Khenifra, which had never before been studied in this way.

OPALS' findings pointed to one main conclusion: that a new awareness-raising strategy must be initiated to prevent the spread of AIDS. Most sex workers in the country lack basic knowledge of how to prevent AIDS and other sexually-transmitted diseases (STDs), the study found, noting that prostitutes and their clients often refuse to use condoms. Of 500 sex workers surveyed, 43.5% did not use protection during intercourse.

Some 30% of the prostitutes who participated in the study had also never been to school."What we’re finding is that there is ignorance of AIDS, no culture of prevention and little use of condoms," said OPAL Morocco President Nadia Bezzad.

The aim of the survey was to improve prevention, such as condom-usage and medical testing in order to curb health risks related to STDs, explained Professor Azzouz Ettounsi, a specialist in psycho-sociology who headed the study team. Prevention efforts are undermined, however, by the lack of information about prostitution and its link to the spread of diseases in Morocco.

Prostitution is illegal and punishable by prison in Morocco. But some women still do it for financial reasons."It’s very difficult to get a clear idea of the national picture with regard to prostitution", Ettounsi said, "in particular because of its clandestine and illegal nature." "It is also a diverse profession," he added. "While some prostitutes acknowledge that they are sex workers, there are also some who refuse to admit that they belong to the profession."

Some 13% of the surveyed prostitutes identified themselves as virgins who do not engage in complete intercourse. For that reason, they told researchers, they do not need to take precautions. They are mistakenly convinced that STDs and AIDS are only transmitted through penetrative intercourse.

"The survey showed us that misconceptions with regard to AIDS sufferers are rife," Bezzad confirmed. "The clear conclusion is that our message about AIDS is not getting through." "We must not focus our efforts to combat AIDS solely on the use of condoms," she continued. "That is not working. We need to take all factors into account. Education is also very important, much more so than medicine. We must also look at the role of schools and the fight against illiteracy and poverty. "

One way to help sex workers is to provide them with a legal source of income, said Moha Ouali Arifi, president of the Social Association for the Development of Tighssaline. The local initiative, Arifi explained, helps women of all backgrounds find job opportunities, regardless of their education level.

The Tighssaline association is also working to raise awareness among sex workers to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, especially AIDS. "We firmly believe that human beings are valuable inside," she said. "We give women the training they need to get involved in sustainable development." http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2008/11/27/feature-01
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Moroccan artists sign Artists' AIDS Pact .
By Sarah Touahri  2008-12-03

The Moroccan government is taking steps to encourage Moroccan artists to incorporate the fight against AIDS in their work. The Moroccan Ministry of Health called on all artists to help raise public awareness about AIDS, in an effort to curb the spread of the disease. A large number of artists signed the "Artists' AIDS Pact" on World AIDS Day (December 1st).

The signatories to the pact pledged to raise awareness of AIDS and to contribute through individual and joint efforts in the fight against the disease. They vowed to help fight discrimination against and the stigmatisation of those living with HIV, and to include the issue of AIDS into various cultural events.

Composer and actor Younes Megri said that artists can play a key role in helping the public understand the problem and prevent the spread of the disease. "Artists can reach out to people and help get the message across," he stated.

Ahmed Guitaa, Secretary-General of the Moroccan Culture Ministry, stressed the need to help those living with AIDS to reintegrate into society through cultural programmes and media campaigns. He added that the ministry would provide access to venues and logistical support to artists who incorporate the fight against AIDS in their work.

On her end, Health Minister Yasmina Baddou said that her department wants to develop and implement a new national public communications strategy. Furthermore, the government is stepping up efforts to decentralise care for HIV-positive people. Regional plans to fight the disease will soon be in place in five priority regions: Souss-Massa-Draa, Marrakech-Tensift-Al Haouz, Greater Casablanca, Tadla-Azilal and Tangier-Tetouan. "We need to be more vigilant, especially since we are seeing higher rates of infection in some regions among certain groups with a greater risk of infection," Baddou commented. She added that significant funds have been allocated for expanding mobile testing. The ministry is currently setting aside 13m dirhams per year for the purchase of medicine and equipment under the national AIDS plan.

Although the HIV incidence rate is low in Morocco, with no more than 0.08% of the population affected (2,798 cases of AIDS), officials are taking steps to stop the disease in its tracks. The national AIDS programme has already reached 750,000 people, a large number of them women and children, out of a target audience of one million to be achieved by 2012. It has also permitted the testing of 43,000 people and the treatment of 2,000 others living with HIV out of the 4,500 targeted. The plan also includes psychological and social support for people living with HIV and is aimed at capacity building, expanding public-private partnership, overhauling the national co-ordinating committee and providing support to regional cross-sector AIDS committees.
http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2008/12/03/feature-01
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Despite setbacks, Morocco making headway towards millennium goals.
By Sarah Touahri 2008-12-01

In a recent government report, Morocco is shown to have made considerable progress towards the UN Millennium Development Goals, although there is still work to be done. While Morocco has made progress towards achieving the UN Millennium Development Goals, it still shows some areas of weakness. This was the conclusion of a report issued Wednesday (November 26th) by Morocco's High Commission for Planning.

Morocco has made considerable efforts in some fields, particularly the reduction of poverty and the introduction of universal school education, said Ahmed Lahlimi, High Commissioner for Planning. He told Magharebia that poverty has dropped nationally, from 15.3% in 2001 to 9% in 2007, whilst the level of those considered to be vulnerable stood at 17.5% in 2007 compared to 22.8% in 2001.

Lahlimi said that to consolidate the gains which have been achieved, Morocco is embarking on a massive programme of reform, made possible by the allocation in 2009 of 53% of the state budget to social sectors, compared with 42% in 1992, the implementation of a medical assistance scheme for low-income Moroccans, compulsory health insurance and intensified infrastructure programmes.

Morocco is performing well in the area of universal primary school education. According to the report, the plan should be completed before 2015. Despite a few setbacks, the school attendance rate has risen from 79.1% in 1999 to 93.5% in 2007. Numbers regarding parity between girls and boys are encouraging in towns and cities, but less so in rural areas.

Access to clean water is another successful area for Morocco. In 2007, 100% of the urban population and 85% of rural residents (up from just 14% in 1994) had access to safe, potable water. Where HIV/AIDS control is concerned, the report indicates that Morocco is one of the countries that have managed to roll out guaranteed access to triple combination therapy to all AIDS patients.

The High Commissioner for Planning said that comparison with other countries is broadly in Morocco's favour. "This reality was confirmed by the Human Development Report 2007/2008," he said, "which ranks Morocco 28th out of 177 countries in terms of progress made in the field."

Despite these encouraging figures, the HCP report calls on the government to ramp up its effort to combat infant mortality. Morocco still has a long way to go to reduce the death rate by two-thirds from 1990 to 2015. Maternal mortality figures are also sobering. To achieve its goals, Morocco must reduce the number from 227 to 50 deaths in labour for every 100,000 births.

The report also raises concerns about unhealthy living conditions in the country, advocating a reduction in unemployment and improvements to public housing. There still remain 211,410 shacks for demolition, and the report indicates that slums are proliferating at great speed.

Mourad Ouhaba, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) representative in Morocco, recommended to officials that they aim for objectives beyond the Millennium Development Goals, such as raising the threshold of relative poverty.

Where education is concerned, Ouhaba called on the state to turn its attention to quality as well as attendance. "There must also be statistical analysis and an analytical method for looking at human development indicators, particularly the reasons why rural areas are lagging behind the urban areas, and the reasons behind school dropout," he said. http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2008/12/01/feature-01
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Morocco establishes cold-weather emergency plan to safeguard rural population.
By Sarah Touahri 2008-12-11

The Moroccan government announced a multi-ministerial strategy to help inhabitants of mountainous regions handle winter cold fronts and snowfalls. Moroccan authorities are preparing ways to handle cold fronts in mountainous regions over 1,500 metres above sea level. A comprehensive plan to deal with the effects of frigid temperatures and snowfalls is targeted at 400,000 people and around 1,000 villages across 19 provinces.

The plan was announced on Thursday (December 4th) in Rabat during a governmental council. The strategy is aimed at preventing a repeat of the devastation witnessed by Morocco over the last few years in villages such as Angfou and Tounfite. Most of the reported fatalities were children and the elderly.

The plan involves a number of state departments, including the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Equipment, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Education, the High Commission for Water and Forests, the National Telecommunications Regulatory Agency and security services.

During the government council meeting, Interior minister Chakib Benmoussa stated that provincial and local committees have already assessed the situation on the ground, suggested ways to implement effective solutions to the problems faced by residents and ensured that they are not isolated. These committees have inspected roads, telecommunications networks, supply depots, heating equipment, and healthcare and school infrastructures.

Communication minister and government spokesman Khalid Nasiri said that these committees' priorities are to ensure that villages are not cut off, to repair damaged telephone lines, to verify that supply centres are fully stocked, to provide heating equipment, and to prepare healthcare and school infrastructures.

The government is also considering a strategy involving aerial intervention with the use of helicopters to allow specialist healthcare teams to be flown out nationwide.

Those living in remote mountainous areas are eagerly awaiting assistance from the government. A few regions in the Atlas Mountains have already seen snowfalls. Aziz Waliouche, a NGO employee in Tounfite, said that people are getting ready for the cold front. "Even though the road between Tounfite and other villages had been cut off by snow, the authorities were able to reopen it within 24 hours," he added.

In early 2008, a study showed that some 935 villages across 19 provinces with a total of 376,000 inhabitants were most at risk of being completely isolated for lengthy periods of time in the event of snowfalls. Four hundred villages were classified as high-risk. The roads to an additional 307 villages were identified as easily cleared within a reasonable period of time. The survey found that villages situated along national, regional or provincial highways could be accessed within 48 hours.

Last year, four national and six regional medical teams with rescue equipment and first-aid kits were deployed. Telecommunication coverage was extended to all regions and helipads were set up by the gendarmerie. In 2007 and 2008, rescue crews saved citizens of different ages in several places. Snow was cleared from a total of 478 kilometres of rural roads. Fatima Moustamlih, a stay-at-home mother in Khénifra, said that every year, families dread winter. "We fear for our children. We expect the worst. This year, we hope that the government will adopt timely measures." http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2008/12/11/feature-02
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Moroccan microcredit sector hits problems.
By Sarah Touahri 2008-12-03

Facing an increase in non-payment, Morocco's microfinance sector is working with the government to inform borrowers and to stabilise lending and repayment practices. In 2008, the number of Moroccan microcredit customers fell by 4%. The National Federation of Microcredit Associations (FNAM) and the finance ministry want to take steps together to boost the industry, which saw strong growth between 2005 and 2007 with a 114% rise in the number of customers, an increase of 260% in the total volume of loans, and a rise of 162% in the overall number of employees in the sector.

These figures were announced at a meeting of a microcredit advisory board convened for the first time on November 25th at the invitation of the Ministry of Finance to deal with the problems currently affecting Moroccan microfinance. Finance Minister Salaheddine Mezouar called on industry figures to enhance co-operation since the microcredit sector is such an important tool in helping people generate income. "We need to stay in touch with the realities faced by the population so that we can provide assistance; this is why it's important to develop the microcredit sector."

Unfortunately, the industry has been hit by an increase in non-payment, with the volume of arrears up to 5%, according to FNAM President Tarik Sijilmassi. "We're not in the business of making money in a system where arrears are offset by profits; microcredit associations don't make a profit," he said.

Industry figures believe the situation is due to both external and internal factors. Sijilmassi said one internal problem is a lack of strict regulations. "We need to organise the profession so that we can improve the quality of new loans. Although microlending is a non-profit activity, associations must develop within a professional framework governed by internal regulations," he said. An external factor of concern is people's confusion between microcredit and subsidies. "This confusion must be addressed and this means we need to communicate with [borrowers]," Sijilmassi concluded.

Sociologist Jamal Boughaba told Magharebia that some associations help the destitute without any obligation on the part of beneficiaries. Some people take out microloans in the belief that they are grants issued by the association.

Fatima Balimi, a dressmaker, said her husband wanted to borrow 2,000 dirhams from a microcredit institution to start up a business. "When he got in touch with them, he found out he would have to pay the money back. That was a real disappointment, because the small amount would have been just enough to make a small profit. He abandoned the idea, but his brother took out the loan with the intention of not paying it back immediately," she said.

There is also stiff competition in some regions between lenders, said Noureddine Ayouche, President of the Zakoura Microcredit Foundation. "In some regions there are 10 or 11 associations in competition with each other, against a backdrop of huge need throughout Morocco."

Competition has driven some associations to branch out from their main purpose of giving microloans. In order to turn profit, some institutions have begun issuing consumer loans.

FNAM has called on its members to avoid entering into competition, on the grounds that the primary purpose of microcredit is to help members of the public and fuel development. Finance Minister Salaheddine Mezouar told Magharebia there is a need to draw up a code of ethics so that the sector will develop at the desired pace and the interests of beneficiaries will be protected.

FNAM is made up of 13 associations with more than 7,000 employees and 1.2 million customers. Fifty-five percent of customers within the sector are women, while beneficiaries in rural areas account for 40 percent
http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2008/12/03/feature-02
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The number of elderly people to reach 5.8 mln in Morocco by 2030, survey.
Rabat, 2 Dec. 2008 (MAP)

The number of people aged 60 and over will increase from 2.4 million in 1960 to about 5.8 million in 2030, i.e. a 3.4% rise per annum, High Commissioner for Planning, Ahmed Lahlimi Alami, said, here Tuesday. Presenting the results of a survey on the elderly people in Morocco, Lahlimi Alami, said that 52.4% of the elderly are living in urban areas, 52.2% of which are women and 47.8% are men.

The survey also revealed that 83% of the elderly are illiterate. Regarding family, social and economic integration, the study pointed out that 16.1% of elderly people have retired and 31.1% continue to participate in the working life.

The survey, which focused on the role of elderly people in the transmission of values, said this social stratum remains threatened by feelings of loneliness and insecurity. 63.2% of them claim to suffer from loneliness while 23.1% feel insecure outside the household and 4.8% have the same feeling inside the home.

The national survey was conducted in 2006 in 2,500 households on people aged 60 and over. It helped draw up the demographic and socio-economic conditions of these people, their health condition, the degree of social protection they enjoy and comprehend their perceptions and preparation for old age.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/social/the_number_of_elderl/view
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Elderly in Morocco suffer from loneliness.
By Sarah Touahri 2008-12-05

In the first survey of its kind, Morocco's elderly are shown to feel lonely and isolated. According to a recent survey, many of the needs of Morocco's elderly citizens are not being met in modern society. The results, issued Tuesday (December 2nd) by High Commissioner for Planning Ahmed Lahlimi, show that while community spirit makes up for a lack of social facilities for the elderly in many cases, over 60% still said that loneliness is a problem. Lahlimi stated that Morocco's strong family tradition is still alive and well, as 77.5% of the nation's elderly receive material assistance from relatives, particularly their children.

Nevertheless, 46.9% of respondents serve as care providers for family members or provide other forms of assistance. "Young people must be trained to assist their elderly relatives and give them the help they need in daily living to avoid a great many problems," Lahlimi commented.

Sociologist Jamal Badri explained to Magharebia that there is a tendency for families to fragment to the point of neglecting elderly relatives. "In the old days," he said, "families were large and the elderly could therefore find a place among their close relatives. Today, it has been noted that young people focus on their careers, believing that support for their parents means financial assistance."

He further clarified that it used to be women who took care of elderly family members, since they stayed at home. However, as more and more women work today, the elderly stay at home alone. "This situation has been aggravated by the absence of specialist centres for this sector of the population."

The HCP stressed the urgency of implementing policies to facilitate the transition to an ageing society where several generations live together, each having their own rightful place. Lahlimi stressed that public action should not replace family spirit.

The study revealed the small role played by social care institutions, even though the Moroccan population is ageing steadily. Due to a lack of money, 62.8% of women and 55.1% are men with existing health problems lack access to medical care. Moreover, 86.7% of the elderly are without health insurance; 77.6% of the elderly in urban areas and 96.8% in rural areas. The survey also revealed the lack of coverage by the pension system, as only 16.1% of Moroccans aged 60 and over receive a pension. Only 3% of women receive retirement benefits, compared to 30.4% of men.

The elderly are further disadvantaged by the low levels of literacy: 83% can neither read nor write. Over half (52.2%) of the elderly population is comprised of women. The majority of elderly people (52.4%) live in urban areas and are of the average age of 70.5 years. According to the HCP, the elderly population is expected to rise from 8% of the total population in 2006 to 15.9% in 2030. In other words, their numbers will rise from 2.4 million to 5.8 million, a growth of 3.4% per year.
http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2008/12/05/feature-03
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Moroccan households monthly spending on medicines does not exceed MAD 100.
Rabat, 3 Dec. 2008 (MAP)

Moroccan households monthly spending on medicines does not exceed MAD 100, revealed a study conducted by the Moroccan Association for the pharmaceutical industry (AMIP). This has prompted the Ministry of Health to provide incentives for households to raise their expenditure for medicines by seeking to expand the use of generic drugs, Moroccan Arabic-speaking paper "Al Ahdath Al Maghribia," underlined, quoting AMIP's survey.

A source from the national fund of insurance "Caisse Nationale des Organismes de Prévoyance Sociale" (French acronym CNOPS) ascribed the weak consumption of generic medicines to poor involvement of doctors in a policy that is aimed at increasing the prescription rate of these medicines in Morocco.

In the absence of a clear mechanism to monitor generic medicine manufacturers and measure their commitment to international standards, doctors do not prescribe these medicines to patients, the paper went on, quoting a doctor as saying. Prescribing such medicines does not serve their professional interests, as they might loose their patients’ confidence especially if the medicines did not help them to recover, the same source explained.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/economy/moroccan_households/view
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Morocco mulls Vision 2020 strategy to upscale tourism.
Rabat, Nov. 26 (MAP)

After the Vision 2010 started to yield the desired results, Morocco is now devising a new strategy aimed to upscale tourism and base it on a quality approach, Tourism and Craft Industry Minister, Mohamed Boussaid said on Tuesday. The Vision 2020 strategy is founded on a quality-based approach aiming to provide upscale tourism and to highlight the assets of Morocco, the minister said during a question time at the House of Representatives. The strategy is also based on regional territory development methods and plans, and takes account of the growth of demand and of international competition, he noted.

Boussaid also said the government has decided to back training in the field of tourism in order to meet the needs of the sector in terms of skilled labor, and speed up the pace of achievement of the "Plan Azur" project. The Vision 2010, which aims mainly to attract 10 million tourists by 2010, is a turning point in the north African country’s tourist policy, despite the constraints of a difficult international economic environment, he said. He deemed that the strategy that was launched in 2001 is a “success,” as evidenced by the results that were registered and the volume of national and international investments in tourism. http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/economy/morocco_mulls_vision/view
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Micro-credit sector achieved significant performance over last five years.
Rabat, 25 Nov. 2008 (MAP)

The micro-credit sector has achieved significant performance over the last five years, Finance Minister, Salaheddine Mezouar, said on Tuesday. The application of prudent portfolio approach, the progressive recourse to conventional guarantees and a sustained effort of collection are "significant achievements" to promote a harmonious development of this sector, said the minister, who chaired a meeting of the micro-credit advisory council.

Underlining "the maturity" of micro-credit associations that work efficiently to find adequate solutions to the issue of outstanding credits, the minister called on stakeholders to show more "complementarity" in micro-credit actions.

For his part, the president of National Federation of Microcredit Associations (FNAM), Tariq Sijilmassi, said the micro-credit sector witnessed a considerable progress between 2005 and 2007, as the number of live customers rose by 114% to reach 1.2 million up to August, the total amount of credits by 26% and the total number of employees increased by 162%. Sijilmassi stressed the positive impact of micro-credit on needy population, notably among women who constitute 55% of the beneficiaries.

This sector is more active in cities as 60% of its beneficiaries are in urban centers, against 40% in rural areas, said the President of FNAM, which brings together 13 associations, with 1,288,803 customers and 7,357 employees.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/economy/micro-credit_sector/view
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Women Rights NGOs commend Morocco's lifting of reservations on CEDAW.
Rabat, 12 Dec. 2008 (MAP)

Several local women's rights NGOs commended Morocco's decision to lift reservations on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), describing it as a recognition of full-fledged equality between men and women.

In a message on the celebration day of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights read on Wednesday, King Mohammed VI had announced the withdrawal of Morocco's reservations on on some provisions of the CEDAW, deeming them "obsolete".

The sovereign had also highlighted the achievements of Morocco in terms of human rights, notably the consolidation of political and civic rights, especially gender equality - enshrined in the Family Code, and reaffirmed the country's aim "to broaden the scope of freedom of expression and opinion, within the framework of the rule of law."

Chairman of the Moroccan Organization of Human Rights (OMDH), Amina Bouayach said that the royal decision would have positive effects for national laws and gender equality-related provisions.

This demand dates back to 1993, when the CEDAW was signed, she told MAP, stressing that the reservations on this convention emptied it of its contents, namely the principle of gender equality. Echoing her, chairwoman of the Feminine action union, Nezha Alaoui underlined that Morocco has lifted all the impediments to the recognition of full equality between men and women in terms of economic, social and political rights.

Morocco, she went on, made an important step as regards establishing gender equity, noting that this decision will hallmark the history of the society, and be a milestone for women’s and human rights associations fighting for the equality of chances.

The royal decision is a "soft revolution for the recognition of equality between men and woman, a principle for which women's movement has struggled for years,” head of the Democratic League of women's rights, Fouzia Assoul said. National coordinator of women’s association "Jousssour”, Ghizlane Benyaich, commended, for her part, the royal decision, stressing that it should be coupled with mechanisms ensuring a better applicability of these reservations.

The CEDAW is an international convention adopted in 1979 by the United Nations General Assembly. Described as an international bill of rights for women, it came into force on September 3rd 1981.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/social/women_s_rights_ngos/view
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EIB loans Morocco €230 mln to fund road, electricity projects.
Rabat, Dec. 5 (MAP)

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has granted Morocco two loans worth €230 mln to fund electricity and road projects. The first loan amounting to €170 mln is designed to reinforce the national electric grid by building overhead lines and substations across the country to improve the reliability and quality of the electric supply, and curb technical losses. The projects are part of the "Electric Network II" program.

The remaining €60 mln amount was granted to the Road Financing Fund (CFR) that is in charge of carrying out the second phase of the national rural roads program (PNRR-II). The program, providing for the construction of 15,500 km of rural roads by 2012, is meant to upgrade the accessibility of the rural population to the road network to reach 80% in 2012. The money will be used to finance the construction of some 700 km and facilitate the opening up of over 150,000 inhabitants.

The EIB funding in Morocco have reached €738 mln, including €625 mln to fund motorways and €113 mln for the construction of rural roads. The Two loan agreements were signed Friday by Minister of Transport, Karim Ghellab, General Manager of the electricity company (ONE), Ali Fassi Fihri, and vice-president of the EIB, Philippe de Fontaine Vive.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Finance Minister, Salaheddine Mezouar voiced Morocco’s will to reinforce cooperation with the European bank part of its 2007-2013 mandate, and within the framework of the Advanced Status granted to Morocco by the EU. For his part, De Fontaine Vive said Morocco is a land of opportunities, noting that the two parties are engaged in a “truly convergence process.”
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/social/eib_loans_morocco_2/view
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"Fashion city" project in Morocco to provide 8,000 jobs.
2008-11-23

Abu-Dhabi Investment House (ADIH) opened the $400m Porta Moda Marrakesh project in Morocco last week, international press reported on Sunday (November 23rd). The "fashion city" is expected to provide 8,000 job opportunities. A medina, hotel, design academy, entertainment and sports centre, clinic, residential complexes and shops such as Louis Vuitton, Ralph Lauren, Bulgari and Christian Dior will be included in the project. http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/newsbriefs/general/2008/11/23/newsbrief-07
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Over 14,000 battered women in Morocco in 2008.
Tetouan, Dec. 2 (MAP)

Morocco has counted in 2008 some 14,617 battered women, 80% of them having undergone domestic violence. Psychological violence against housewives, mainly insults and humiliation, remains the most salient among the documented cases, while 95% of the cases of physical violence involve assault and battery, according to officials from the Ministry of Social Development, Family and Solidarity. Women aged 18 to 25 are the most affected by violence, followed by those in the 25-35 age bracket, the officials said Monday at a conference on the legal protection of women against violence.

Morocco has approved a number of initiatives to fight gender violence, introduced legal reforms to protect women and enhance their status in the society, and ratified the international conventions banning gender discrimination and promoting human rights, they said. In a bid to reinforce the laws protecting women against violence, the country also provided law enforcement and rural police agents, as well as the civil servants working in the health ministry with the required information to facilitate their intervention to fight gender violence.

The Ministry of Social Development, Family and Solidarity is finalizing a bill on violence against women that makes up for the gaps registered in the law currently in force.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/social/over_14000_battered/view
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