New report sheds light on anti-black racism, as well as language and land rights affecting the indigenous Amazigh people in Morocco

Minority Rights Group International, in partnership with La Voix de la Femme Amazighe and Tamaynut has submitted an alternative report to the committee on the elimination of racial discrimination in Morocco at the 111th Session of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in Geneva.

Morocco is a multi-ethnic and multicultural society. The Preamble of its 2011 Constitution proclaims the Kingdom’s commitment “to preserve, in its plenitude and its diversity, its one and indivisible national identity”. This new Constitution admittedly marked a significant advancement in the state’s commitment to protect and promote human rights. However, despite a number of legislative reforms undertaken since 2011 to strengthen Morocco’s institutional and legal human rights frameworks, racial discrimination continues to pervade the country’s social fabric, particularly targeting the indigenous Amazigh, Black Moroccans and Black sub-Saharan African migrants and refugees.

The report submitted by the Government of Morocco focuses on positive steps concerning migrants, Amazigh and issues related to women’s rights. No information is included about the situation of black Moroccan citizens, indicating the complete invisibilisation faced by this community and a total denial of the existence of racism against this community.

This submission focuses on issues of anti-black racism concerning both black citizens and migrants, as well as language and land rights affecting the indigenous Amazigh people in general and women in particular.

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