In a message addressed to participants at the international symposium held in Rabat on Thursday to mark the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, on the theme "30 commitments to human dignity: is the universal humanist ideal unfulfilled?", the Sovereign drew attention to the fact that the international community has not yet succeeded in implementing all the principles set out in the Declaration.

The 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is being celebrated in a context marked by tensions and risks to the security, stability and prosperity of peoples, said His Majesty the King.

"Given the special importance of your symposium, the successive tensions affecting the world and the repeated breaches of the lofty principles and values underpinning the Declaration, we cannot but underscore, once again, the need to renew the universal pledge to protecting the rights of individuals and groups, especially those living in precarious conditions," underlined the Sovereign.

This celebration, added HM the king, is also an opportunity to take stock of what has been achieved in this domain, to pinpoint the inadequacies and shortcomings noted in upholding the accomplishments made, and to identify the challenges the international community is still grappling with to make sure all human rights are fully respected.

In light of the above challenges, Morocco opted for a remarkable and unique approach to human rights, said the Sovereign, pointing out that the latter, which is still evolving, has contributed to shaping the experience of the international community in this regard.

In this regard, HM the king underlined that the Kingdom of Morocco's commitment to promoting human rights at the national level did not stop at enshrining those rights in the Constitution. “Our commitment to human rights has become a defining element of public policy and a basic determinant of the strategic decisions we make, be it in the economic, social, cultural or environmental sectors,” added the Sovereign.

“My firm commitment to defending and upholding human rights is second only to my keen desire to continue bolstering the rule of law and strengthening the nation’s institutions. This is a sovereign, proactive policy designed to build on achievements, while continuing to deal constructively with emerging rights issues, whether at domestic level or within the international system of human rights,” noted HM the king.

The Sovereign also stressed that notwithstanding the accomplishments made in this regard and the ongoing action, the particular significance of this issue and the seriousness it requires mean that “we must be more effectively committed to addressing current pressing issues and anticipating what might lie ahead, keeping in mind our particularities as well as our immutable national values”.

“We must also realize that for political and civil rights to take on their full meaning, they have to go hand in hand with economic, social, cultural and environmental rights,” added HM the king.

It is in this spirit, said the Sovereign, that the kingdom of Morocco “launched a fresh set of structural reforms, which I wanted to be a top priority in our public policies”.

They include universal health coverage, social protection and support for vulnerable groups, which is a societal project designed to guarantee effective access to social and health services, while strengthening the pillars of our national solidarity system, added HM the king.

The Sovereign also cited the ongoing revision of the Family Code, two decades into its implementation, recalling the launch, in this context, of broad-based consultations with the various components of society to “safeguard the rights of women and children and to uphold the interests of the family - the beating heart of society”.