Virtual Magazine of Morocco on the Web
Morocco Week in Review 
November 17, 2012

Morocco child workers frequently abused: HRW
(AFP) – RABAT

Moroccan children as young as eight, recruited as domestic workers, are frequently beaten, verbally abused and sometimes refused adequate food by their employers, Human Rights Watch said on Thursday. Child domestic workers in Morocco, most of them girls, sometimes work for 12 hours a day, seven days a week, and receive as little as $11 (8.60 euros) a month, HRW said in a report entitled "Lonely Servitude: Child Domestic Labor in Morocco."

"Girls are being exploited, abused and forced to work long hours for extremely low wages," said Jo Becker, HRW's advocacy director for children's rights. "Working in private homes, many of these girls endure terrible conditions but have no idea where to turn for help," she added.

Social Affairs Minister Bassima Hakkawi was not immediately reachable for comment.

The New York-based group said Morocco had taken "important steps" to stamp out the problem, citing government surveys showing that the number of working children under 15 dropped from 517,000 in 1999 to 123,000 in 2011.

Despite the progress, HRW said laws prohibiting the employment of such children were not adequately enforced, with employers rarely prosecuted for physically abusing the children and hardly ever fined for hiring them.

The report, based on the accounts of 20 former child domestic workers, as well as government officials, lawyers, teachers, and NGO representatives, said the majority of the victims interviewed reported physical and verbal abuse. Fifteen of them began working before they had turned 12, and several spoke of sexual harassment or assault by male members of the employer's household.

Most of the girls interviewed came from poor rural areas, the report said, adding that around half of them were recruited by intermediaries to work in big cities, often with false promises about their working conditions. One of the girls said she worked without a break from six in the morning until midnight, with no days off, and that her employer often beat her. http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iDxfFrOahdhm_-4KpNqCiuzPP-jw?docId=CNG.bda27629617af2c620ff2fca5371d26f.531
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Morocco Launches Job Training Projects
By Hassan Benmhedi, 15 November 2012 Casablanca

Morocco's annual solidarity initiative is focused on preparing young people for work. New training centres aim to improve the employability of young Moroccans.

As part of the kick-off events for the 15th annual National Solidarity Campaign on Wednesday (November 7th), King Mohammed VI opened one such facility in Marrakech. The site will offer vocational instruction in the building trades and public works sector. Another new centre will focus on training for the handicraft industry.

The projects are among several initiatives aimed at helping poor citizens, supporting youth employment and strengthening relations between different segments of society.

Under the slogan, "United for the Destitute", this year's solidarity campaign prioritises youth and women, Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity communications chief, Kais Ben Yahia said. "Many studies have shown that illiteracy and crime rates are highest among the destitute," sociology professor Morchidi Abdellatif said. "That's why a young person who is unemployed and socially vulnerable often finds the perfect solution to his problems in radical ideology or crime," he told Magharebia.

According to Rabat lawyer and community leader Fatima Yettou, social problems, ignorance and marginalisation are among the factors that lead young people to extremism. "The Solidarity Campaign, which has been launched and supported by the upper echelons of the Moroccan government, looks to plug these dangerous gaps and promote cohesion and social peace," Yettou said.

The Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity has already helped over four million beneficiaries, including 7,000 female students admitted to residential and boarding schools and 5,150 youth enrolled in vocational training courses.

Samir and Khalid, two young men from the Casablanca shantytown of Sidi Moumen, are among the beneficiaries of the national solidarity initiative. They have been receiving training at a mechanical technology college for over a year. "We didn't have the means to peruse our studies, but thanks to the Foundation, we stand a chance of accessing even more promising opportunities in future," Samir said.

The 2003 attacks in Casablanca made it essential to review all aspects of life in Morocco, Islamic studies expert Omar Nadine noted. "We have found that the big issues affecting this country were not only social and economic in nature, but also religious and cultural," he said. http://allafrica.com/stories/201211161229.html
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Compensation fund strains Morocco's budget: Morocco's Compensation Fund is weighing heavily on the state budget, with officials warning urgent reforms are necessary

"For the 2013-2016 period, if nothing is done, the burden of the compensation fund is forecast to reach possibly more than MAD200 billion compared with around MAD123 billion for the 2009/2011 period," according to official figures from the economy and finance ministry.

Forecasts for 2013 predict the cost of the Compensation Fund to be somewhere between 45.9 and 49.3 billion dirhams, based on a crude oil price of 105 and 110 dollars a barrel respectively.

Reforms to the compensation system are therefore central to the government's concerns and one of the top-priority areas requiring attention alongside pension reforms, stressed Economy and Finance Minister Nizar Baraka.

In remarks to Parliament on November 1st, he explained that the government has set a target of holding Compensation Fund expenditures to a sustainable level and, alongside that, managing to target the poorest members of the population by giving them direct conditional money transfers.

The government sees reforms as being progressive and working alongside other social programmes currently under way such as the National Human Development Initiative, the Tayssir education-based direct finance programme and the RAMED Medical Assistance Regime currently being rolled out.

Mohamed Najib Boulif, the minister-delegate for general affairs and governance, said that reforms need to be introduced in such a way that they do not diminish the purchasing power of the middle class or damage competitiveness in industry.

The work will start in 2013, but reforms will not be introduced until 2014.

MPs have spoken out against the delays in reforms to the fund. Abdellah Bouanou, an MP representing the Justice and Development Party, said that it was time to step up the pace if the government is to achieve its aims of targeting sectors of the population who should benefit from direct aid. He said there will then need to be an assessment of the impact of the policy on the public's daily lives.

Some in the middle class fear the reforms could weaken their purchasing power, according to political analyst Ahmed Azimi. "The first price rises for fuel have already affected a number of commodities. The reforms will be progressive. We are expecting another rise in 2013, particularly for butane gas. But the government will be unable to announce this unpopular move until after the communal elections planned for June 2013, in order not to jeopardise its popularity," he explained.

Among the public, many believe that funding for the aid should be taken from the companies who benefit from subsidised products, rather than from the average man on the street by raising prices.

That was the view of El Khalifa Mehdi, a trader: "The cost of living is high enough already. People's incomes are stagnating. I can't see how the middle class could cope with what they call the compensation reforms." http://www.cpifinancial.net/news/post/16851/compensation-fund-strains-moroccos-budget
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The First Green City In Morocco: A One-Off Project in Africa?
Sunday, 11 November 2012 By: Said Temsamani

On November 9 King Mohammed VI visited the construction site of the Mohammed VI green city, close to Benguerir, a one-off project in Africa that gives a new royal impetus to a megaproject joining modernity and sustainable development.

Today many Moroccans live in towns and cities. Urban areas concentrate most of the environmental challenges facing our society but also bring together commitment and innovation to resolve them. The meaning of ‘The Green City’ concept in recent years and how it could be developed in the future. This was needed then, and it is still needed today. Urbanisation is increasing in Morocco currently.

A large portion of the population lives in cities. In another thirty years, the number will skyrocket. To keep cities liveable and economically sound, it is important that construction activities are not conducted at the expense of green space. By now, ‘The Green City’ concept has been embraced by various organisations and government agencies. Other cities and towns in Morocco now should join together in the form of a Moroccan Green City Network. The Green City will certainly attract attention internationally.

The Green City of Benguerir was held not simply to realise a non-recurring event for sightseers, but as a way to introduce more green into the whole region. This approach will greatly improve the livability of the city and means that organisations, citizens and the government are not only involved in the development of Benguerir but will also start other projects to beautify Bengueir and the neighboring towns: undeveloped sites will become green oases, unsightly construction sites will be screened from view by covering walls with plants, and mature trees will be getting the protection they deserve. In these ways, plantings and green space are taking on functional meaning in everyday life.

Diversity and function are also important: a carpet of gardens providing the foundation for highlighting the functions of plants such as food production, horticulture, health, art, culture and education, energy and water management.

Green is indispensable for creating liveable cities. The challenge is for the construction industry to work together with the horticultural sector. It will be important not just to develop ideas together but also to implement these plans. These times in particular demand taking action: the future starts now.

Governors, mayors and NGOs should be looking ahead to ways in which cities can provide for their green space and food needs. Technology will play a major role in this. For example, the construction of vertical greenhouses for the large-scaled production of vegetables. In Morocco there are actually plant labs. The co-production and courage were the first criteria to realize these kinds of innovations. The good news is that the time is ripe for innovators in Africa to do just that. After all, periods of crisis are the best times to realize breakthroughs. Dare to innovate!

This exhortation will certainly be taken to heart by the advocators of the ‘Growing Green Cities in Africa and the Arab world– A Call to Action manifesto. This means Morocco, as usual, will commit itself not only to sharing its expertise but to apply it as well. And Morocco is looking forward to doing this. King Mohammed has always advocated sustainable spatial development in Africa. In his optimistic vision, he would like to see similar green cities not only in Morocco but in the whole African continent.
http://www.african-bulletin.com/categoryblog/960-the-first-green-city-in-morocco-a-one-off-project-an-africa.html
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Rains Add to Worries of Moroccans in Shantytowns.
By Hassan Benmehdi, 11 November 2012 Casablanca

Morocco's rainy season may be relieving farmers, but in poor urban neighbourhoods, it adds further difficulties to an already hard life. While many Moroccans see the recent rains as good news, others - particularly those living in the shanty towns - see it as synonymous with misery.

The rainy season that began October 22nd makes life in shantytowns and dilapidated buildings even more unpleasant and difficult.

Rabha, a mother of four, has lived in Carrière Essakouila, which is on the outskirts of Casablanca, for more than twenty years. Now in her fifties, she has learned over time to adapt to the whims of nature. "Here you learn to be patient, in both winter and summer, because the summer heat is also a problem. It causes smells that make you feel sick, and flies and mosquitoes invade you," she told Magharebia. "What I'm saying is there's nothing worse than living in a shanty town where you have nothing."

Her neighbour, Lalla Hlima, told Magharebia how her shack, which covers just a few square metres, cannot keep the heavy rain out anymore: "Every time it rains, my shack gets flooded, and I have to wait for the sun to return before I can do my housework and my laundry." Like others living in this shanty town, she finds it difficult to get around the place because of the mud. "When the rain comes, life is so difficult that I often have to wait a couple of weeks to change my clothes," she said.

In the end, Lalla Hlima and Rabha prefer to make the best of things and remain hopeful: "Fortunately our shacks aren't about to fall down around our ears, and even if they did they wouldn't kill us," they said with a wry smile.

But others living in poorly constructed dwellings have been less fortunate. In the Casa-Anfa district of Derb Loubila, the heavy rains led to the collapse of a home on October 30th, killing a father and son. An older brother sleeping with them was seriously injured and taken to hospital.

The aging worn-out structures around the kingdom's economic capital are a problem requiring urgent attention, according to Mounir El Mahallaoui, a Communal Councillor in Casablanca. "This is a serious threat to people's lives," he continued. "We cannot wait any longer, but plans to rehouse people in buildings which are in immediate danger of collapse are still not moving ahead as expected."

Not far from that district, in Derb Hoummane, in the ancient medina, another building collapsed on the same night, but without claiming any victims.

Around the city of Casablanca alone, investigations by the Public Test and Study Laboratory (LPEE) identified 700 houses, home to 1,800 households, urgently requiring demolition.

In 2004, the Moroccan government launched its "cities without shanty towns" programme to eradicate all shanty towns, intended to benefit 348,400 households, costing 25 billion dirhams overall.

Housing Minister Nabil Benabdallah has pointed out that by the end of September 2011, the programme was nearly 70% complete: "If the programme hadn't run into some unforeseen difficulties since the launch, delivery would have been 83% now instead of 70%," he said
http://allafrica.com/stories/201211120734.html
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Spirit of new Morocco constitution 'frozen': prince
(AFP) – 4 days ago  PARIS

Morocco's Prince Moulay Hicham, King Mohammed VI's first cousin, has said in a television interview the spirit of a new constitution adopted last year in a bid to stifle Arab Spring protests remains "frozen."

Asked if it was "business as usual" in the kingdom, in the interview with France 24 broadcast on Monday, the prince said that the constitutional reforms approved by referendum in July 2011 had "begun in good faith." "But let's not be naive, they were also initiated as a result of heavy pressure" on the regime, added the third in line to the throne, known as the "rebel prince" for his outspoken criticism of Morocco's political system.

The constitutional changes, introduced by the king to curb his near-absolute powers, followed mass protests in the north African country, and as similar unrest toppled regimes in Tunisia and Egypt.

They paved the way for historic elections, in November 2011, that brought the moderate Islamist Party of Justice and Development to power, along with hopes of genuine democratic reform.

But "in the absence of real democratic forces, which take the project forward and guarantee that it is a stage (in the reform process) and not the end, the spirit of the constitution remains frozen," the prince said.

The king has vowed to press ahead with reforms, including strengthening the judiciary's independence and battling corruption. But frustration remains over the slow pace of reform and ongoing corruption, with hundreds of activists frequently taking to the streets of Morocco's main cities to call for change.

Moulay Hicham, an academic at Stanford University in the United States, argued that the survival of the monarchy itself was not in question, so long as it moved towards becoming a constitutional monarchy. "What will encounter real problems is the Makhazen," he said, referring to the network of power and privilege that surrounds the king, that even some within the ruling party accuse of being archaic and anti-democratic. http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gkVx5r-krGXDpGABqvD1X8CsDouA?docId=CNG.92de590d1efaedfe90cc6993039f6c8b.f1
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Morocco’s M’Hamid Festival brings rhythms to dunes
By Simon Martelli - M'HAMID, Morocco

Taragalte music festival kicks off under spectacular star-lit sky in M’Hamid amid participation of groups from Mali, Mauritania. Rousing desert rhythms brought to life the oasis of M'Hamid, last stop in Morocco before the vast empty wastes of the Sahara, as musicians from across the region descended on the dunes.

The Taragalte music festival kicked off in earnest at the weekend under a spectacular star-lit sky, with a list of women's groups, from Morocco, Mauritania and Mali topping the bill.

Camel racing, poetry and traditional dance featured among the palm trees and rolling sand dunes of M'Hamid, with the festival celebrating -- and seeking to preserve -- a desert culture undermined by modernity, according to its organisers.

Mauritanian group Noura Mint Seymali captivated the crowd with a powerful delivery from the vocalist, Noura, accompanied by a virtuoso performance from Ayniyana, her accomplice on the ardine, a 20-string harp similar to the kora.

Next up was the Malian group Tartit, 10 Tuareg women from the northern region of Timbuktu, whose traditional music, a hypnotic blend of chanting, clapping and drumming, added poignancy to the Moroccan event.

Unrest forced the group to flee Mali in February, just two weeks after they played at Timbuktu's famed desert festival, with Islamist militants later occupying the entire northern region, banning music, destroying ancient shrines and forcing women to wear the veil.

A sign placed below the stage read: "Taragalte pays homage to Timbuktu, heritage of humanity."

Oum, the budding Moroccan star who headlined the opening night at Taragalte with her five-piece soul band, said the festival sent a message of solidarity to the musicians and the women of Mali. "It's a chance to say that we support them, and the freedom of the arts, and the freedom just to be," she told AFP. "It's a message that is even stronger because it comes through the voices of women."

Taragalte, now in its fourth year, has forged strong links with its Malian counterpart, which the organisers have attended yearly, inviting musicians to M'Hamid from the festival in Timbuktu -- just a 50-day camel ride away, locals quip.

Malian guitarist Samba Toure, a protege of Mali music legend Ali Farka Toure, made an appearance at M'Hamid, while renowned Tuareg group Tinariwen played at the inaugural event in 2009.

Rich desert culture

Osman Toure, bass player for the Mauritanian group Noura Mint Seymali, which was also invited to play at M'Hamid during the Timbuktu festival in January, praised the Moroccan initiative, following the events in Mali. "I find that the desert, the tents... Of course they are different cultures. But it's the same spirit. There is a great similarity between the two festivals," Toure said. "It was a moment of tragedy that took place (in Mali) with respect to the music... Many of the musicians fled to Mauritania, as well as Senegal and Burkina Faso. But despite that, many of them ended up here."

M'Hamid El Ghizlane lies deep in the desert, on the edge of the arid Draa valley, some 250 kilometres (150 miles) southeast of Ouarzazate, the so-called gateway to the Moroccan Sahara, and 40 kilometres from the Algerian border.

Centuries ago, it was used by the camel caravans plying the old trade route between Morocco and Timbuktu, but the closure of the Algerian border in 1994 means any overland trip, however hazardous, is no longer possible.

Halim Sbai, one of Taragalte's main organisers, speaks passionately of the need to preserve "the natural and cultural patrimony of the desert," including by allowing local people to participate, displaying their traditions and music at the festival.

The construction of a hydro-electric dam at Ouarzazate in 1972, to provide for the city's growing population and tourist trade, with its five-star hotels and golf courses, took a heavy toll on water supplies to M'Hamid, Sbai explained. "The dam deprived the region of water that, before it was built, flowed from the High Atlas mountains all the way here." "We are in an oasis that needs to be preserved. It's a very fragile environment. And we try to get tourists to help us with that, so we can leave it for future generations," Sbai said.
http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=55492
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Some of Morocco’s young rappers are using their music to show support for the country’s ruling party, espouse family values, and encourage female modesty. It’s called “Halal rap,” but can it even be considered rap at all?

Sheikh Sar (known as Chekh Sar in Morocco) is a rising star among religious youth here.

But Chekh Sar isn’t an upcoming Salafi preacher on one of the religious satellite channels proliferating throughout the Arab world. He is just a young rapper from the city of al-Rashidiya in east Morocco who used to be called Elias Lakhrifi...............

Read emore here: http://www.albawaba.com/entertainment/morocco-rap-450324
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Adoption Of Orphans Under Attack By Islamist Government
Nov. 12, 2012

Regarding a growing unease over moves by current islamist Justice Minister Mr. Ramid efforts to restrict adoption in Morocco, at a time when the situation of orphaned or abandoned children is critical.  A recent circular from the Ministry of Justice dismissing the right of non-resident foreigners to adopt has led to grave concerns about the future welfare of Moroccan orphans.

The latest protests come from a group of six children's welfare associations. Their concerns join those of couples currently in the process of adopting.

Unfortunately Morocco has not kept pace with international standards when it comes to adoption and still adheres to what many see as an outdated system known as kafala. Islamic views on adoption are generally distinct from practices and customs of adoption in other non-Muslim parts of the world like Western or East Asian societies. Raising a child who is not one's genetic child is allowed and, in the case of an orphan, even encouraged. But, according to the Islamic view, the child does not become a "true" child of the adoptive parents. For example, the child is named after the biological, not adoptive, father. More conservative Muslims go so far as to claim that adoption is forbidden by Islamic law but that it is permissible to take care of the child in a fostering arrangement. In Arabic this is known as kafala.

The intent of kafala is to ensure that a child is raised as a Muslim. But, because monitoring kafala can not be assured abroad, the Ministry fears that the adopted child will not be educated in the teachings of Islam.

On September 19, a circular (No.40 S/2) issued by the Ministry of Justice and Freedoms was a bombshell, saying that after investigation kafala should be refused "to foreigners who are not ordinarily resident in Morocco." And therefore it "is granted only to applicants who reside permanently in the country."

The argument developed by the Ministry is based on the fact that judge responsible for granting or denying kafala has an investigative role to determine "moral fitness and social ability to raise an abandoned child in the the precepts of Islam". In the case of adoptive parents living outside Morocco this is impossible. Article 9 of the Law on kafala requires the supervising judge  to ensure that all the terms of any agreement continue to be met. Failure to do so gives the judge power to revoke the kafala. In practice this is never done, but is all the justification needed to deny kafala to foreign couples.  What all this ignores is the welfare of the child.

The six Moroccan associations fighting for the right of abandoned children to have parents were alarmed by the September 19th circular and took the case to the Courts of Appeal and Courts of First Instance.

The decision to exclude foreigners to kafala, even if they are Muslims (who do not live Morocco) has caused great  concern and confusion within the associations working to better the lives of abandoned or orphaned children.  The associations in the frontline of this fight for the children are Village Children, The Babies Association of Morocco, The Rita Foundation, The Zniber Association, Dar Al Wafa Atfal, The Osraty Association and the Association of Children's Friends. These associations are gaining strong support for a public a petition against the Ministry's decision. They have also questioned what, if any, alternative measures the Ministry will come up with "to protect the best interests of the child as defined by national and international law."

As it currently stands, the Ministry circular has effectively deprived thousands of children the opportunity of adoption and a better life. The children will continue to live in orphanages with often substandard conditions and the risk of institutionalisation. According to the welfare associations the damage to the children is significant and, " 80% of children who remain in orphanages become offenders and 10% commit suicide." The associations go on to say, "This circular will aggravate the situation for the centres who are even now unable to receive more children and child trafficking networks of all kinds will not miss this opportunity."

It is difficult to understand how the Ministry intends to rectify the situation that will develop from the kafala ban.  According to estimates, 24 babies are abandoned every day in Morocco. With an annual rate of 6000 abandoned children, the capacity of the orphanages has been far exceeded. The numbers of Moroccan families and foreigners resident in the country cannot absorb the number of children. According to Asmaa Benslimane, founding president of the association Babies Morocco, the rate  "national kafala is practically equal to the international kafala (50%)."

The effects of the ban, according to the authors of the petition, will be "dramatic" as the numbers soar of infants and children without parents who are unable to be adopted. The statistics confirm their case.  Public awareness of abandoned children has gained momentum in recent years and rather than banning adoptions, Morocco needs to encourage suitable applicants, whether they live in Morocco or abroad. According to the national survey conducted in 2010 by INSAF, 27, 200 single mothers gave birth in the previous year out of wedlock. According to the same study, 153 babies are born out of wedlock every day, and 24 of them are abandoned.

An earlier study, conducted in 2009 by the Moroccan League for Child Welfare and UNICEF , revealed that the number of abandoned children was 4,554, (in 2008), representing 1.3% of total births in that year. These children, some of whom are lucky enough to be accommodated in nursing homes and other care centers for children, "have the right to parental affection," said the Child Welfare League.

A major concern for the associations is the question: why does this circular prohibit kalfala to couples not resident in Morocco, knowing that 50% of adopting parents are foreigners, and that the ministry was aware of this?

The answer to this first question comes from the circular itself: "Monitoring of judicial practice indicates that these provisions (those provided by the Kafala Act) are not executed efficiently and correctly, to reflect the legislator's intentions which are to find the appropriate framework for the protection of the abandoned child, and that education takes place in a climate that prepares a child's future, so that it plays its role in society."

Latifa Taoufik, a judge and assistant general secretary in the Ministry of Justice, is reassuring. She  said that the circular came "in response to reports that the Department has received, and that state that there are adoptive parents who exploit and abuse children adopted abroad without any control." Since the procedure is applied incorrectly, Taoufik says, the department "wanted to tighten up the procedure, until bilateral agreements are signed on the issue with countries where kafala is applied."

And what of the foreign applicants who have already started the process?  Their fate is still uncertain. For example, the Lalla Hasna orphanage in Casablanca, opened in 1956 making it one of the oldest in Morocco, has are no fewer than 22 pending applications from foreigners not resident in Morocco.
"The couples are varied, with mixed marriages, foreigners converted to Islam and Muslims by birth. They come from France, Canada, Dubai, United States," said Samira Kaouachi, director of the orphanage. She added that these foreign Muslims often choose children with physical or mental conditions, that Moroccans would never accept.

She concludes that "It is not normal that the 22 pending cases are not resolved, the future parents are determined and they feel a sense of frustration at not being able to complete their process. Let's get these files first." She says it is unacceptable that these children are "stored" in an institution and face an uncertain future.

Another problem complicating things in the Casablanca children's home is that from late 2011 to October 2012, the orphanage has recorded four returns of adopted children, and two more are in progress. "In all cases, the adoptive parents are Muslim Moroccans living in Morocco, who have decided these children are defective products, simply because they are nervous, restless or whatever. Is this Islam?" asks the forthright Ms Kaouachi.

From 1990 to October 2009, the Lalla Hasna orphanage welcomed 2,447 children and 1,389 of these benefited from kafala adoptions. Between 2010 and October 2012, it hosted 300 children. 244 of these were adopted - 50 to non-resident foreigners in Morocco. Currently, another 22 are awaiting adoption by foreigners. Of these, 18 suffer from a physical or mental disability. Boys are in the overwhelming majority, because the orphanage receives almost no girls. "Girls do not come here unless they are sick or disabled," said Samira Kaouachi, psychologist and director of the orphanage. This is explained by the fact that, "mothers rarely leave the girls, they are more docile than boys and their education is relatively easier. We receive only girls whose mothers are in prison, needing psychiatric treatment or girls with disabilities".

The orphanage receives abandoned children whose parents are unknown, and advises couples wishing to adopt a child. "Even if (the adoptive parents) they have good conditions, they feel the lack of a child. The balance, training and affection are only possible in a home between loving parents, even if they are adopted. 70% of these children are cared for every year through kafala, and we would have liked it to be more. We would like our orphanage to be seen as reception center, " laments Samira Kaouachi.

The Hague Convention

The best solution to Morocco's adoption problems would be to sign the the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (or Hague Adoption Convention). However, the problem arises that the convention and Islamic law have fundamental conflicts that need to be overcome.

It is an international convention dealing with international adoption, child laundering, and child trafficking. It was concluded on 29 May 1993 and entered into force on 1 May 1995.

Recognising some of the difficulties and challenges associated with international adoption, and in an effort to protect those involved from the corruption and exploitation which sometimes accompanies it, the Hague Conference on Private International Law developed the Convention.

The main objectives of the Convention are:

To establish safeguards to ensure that intercountry adoptions take place in the best interests of the child and with respect for his or her fundamental rights as recognized in international law;

To establish a system of co-operation amongst Contracting States to ensure that those safeguards are respected and thereby prevent the abduction, the sale of, or traffic in children;
to secure the recognition in Contracting States of adoptions made in accordance with the Convention.

As of April 2012, this Convention has been ratified by 89 countries. Haiti, Nepal and The Russian Federation are signatories, but have not ratified.

The convention states:
"Intercountry adoptions shall be made in the best interests of the child and with respect for his or her fundamental rights. "
http://moroccoboard.com/news/5748-morocco-adoption-of-orphans-under-attck-by-islamist-govenment
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Magical Morocco enchants visitors
Sights, smells and sounds enchant in this ancient kingdom November 11, 2012 By Christine H. O'Toole
FEZ, Morocco

Yunis, a Fez university student in white jeans, halted near the ornate Blue Gate of Fez and raised three fingers. "Before we enter the medina, you must learn three words in Arabic," he said, in crisp English. " Bellek means get out of the way. Shokrun means thanks, and leh means no. So: leh shokrun, no thanks." With that, he led us through a narrow passage and into the dim, glorious, thousand-year-old chaos of the Moroccan market.

Sacks of fresh saffron, harvested from local fields of crocus flowers. False teeth. Handmade brass lanterns and thick pottery. Tiny fried doughnuts, called svinche. Blue satin wedding gowns. Live chickens (strangled, beheaded, defeathered and disemboweled while you wait). Coils of dried figs. Bushels of damp mint. And as I glanced up to the latticed roof of the passage, I felt hot breath and a strong shoulder pushing me from behind. Both belonged to a donkey. " Bellek!" its driver bellowed. I leapt to safety. Overhead, a muezzin began his sonorous call to midday prayer…………..

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/life/travel/magical-morocco-enchants-visitors-661599/#ixzz2CVG1pYrR
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Morocco's 'liquid gold' enriches Berber women
By Simon Martelli (AFP) TIDZI, Morocco

In a poor but fertile corner of southern Morocco, illiterate Berber women are tapping the surge in global demand for argan oil, a "miracle" product they grind from a special nut, that is helping to lift them out of poverty.

Sometimes known as "liquid gold" or "miracle oil" for its rich cosmetic, culinary and medicinal properties, the exclusively Moroccan export has caused a sensation in the West, where it is touted as a unique hair care and anti-ageing skin potion.

The rolling countryside between Essaouira and Agadir, resort towns better known for their Atlantic surf, is covered with argan trees, and distinguished by the bizarre sight of goats perched in their branches munching away on the pulp of the nut…………

Read more here: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hNU2zbMwQKAf6SZVbrXyN6a94OJQ?docId=CNG.884e4ba0b0ea518f869890d8d076f351.471
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'Arab Spring economies to recover slowly in 2013'
By REUTERS  11/11/2012

IMF report asserts return of political stability could permit faster growth in Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Libya, Tunisia and Yemen. ...............

DUBAI - Most economies hit by the Arab Spring uprisings will recover slowly next year, grappling with high inflation and rising unemployment due to poor global conditions, the International Monetary Fund predicted in a report on Sunday.

In its twice-yearly outlook for the Middle East and North Africa, the global lender said a partial return of political stability could permit somewhat faster growth in the combined output of Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Libya, Tunisia and Yemen during 2013.......................

Read more here:http://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=291301
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Karim has won the challenge of inserting his Oriental notes into the mix of wind instruments and others, sometimes imposing himself and sometimes delicately stepping back; this was a wonderful symbiosis.
-Has Ryad Sunbati ever written a jazz tune? The Genius of the man has more than likely propelled Oum Kalsoum into the musical stratosphere ever since the 40s. However for Sunbati, the composer who wove melody into all the magnificent poems of the Diva (Al Atlal, Haditou R’ouh  et  Aroh Limine and much more) there was never a thought of a project outside the confines of Classical Arabic music. Happily, we had this wonderful discovery in the form of a jazz tune entitled “Maitre Sunbati”.

Weaving in and out  with an almost timid elegance that carries Classical Arabic modes then suddenly going back to jazz in smooth and unexpected transitions, this sublime tune made the spellbound audiences vibrate in a concert hall full to the hilt during the second evening of the 13th edition of the Tanjazz festival.
The tune was written by Karim Kadiri, a talented oudist. It was performed in of the nicest stages “Palais des institutions Italiennes de Tanger ». The public already won over by a series of modern jazz tunes by the band “M’Oud Swing Quartet” of which Karim is the oudist composer and leader was then completely conquered by “Maitre Sunbati”..............

Read more: http://www.moroccoboard.com/news/5746-morocco-tanjazz-a-amply-won-bet
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