Under the auspices of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist Him, and in commemoration of the International Day of Social Justice, the Council of Counselors, in partnership with the Economic, Social, and Environmental Council, organizes the Seventh International Parliamentary Forum on Social Justice under the theme "Human Capital: A Fundamental Lever for Social Justice" on Tuesday, February 21, 2023.
The choice of "human capital" as the theme of the Seventh International Parliamentary Forum on Social Justice is part of the continuous institutional interaction of the Council of Counselors with the enlightened royal directives on issues of social justice. It also falls within the framework of the scientific support for the project of establishing a new development model that upholds the principles and values of freedom, social justice, equality, and solidarity. This model relies on fundamental pillars considered necessary to meet economic and social challenges.
"Enhancing human capital" stands at the forefront of these pillars, as citizens constitute an important wealth and a fundamental input for sustainable development. Our country seeks to achieve this through the constitutional dedication to the social dimension and active engagement in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (2000-2015) and then the Sustainable Development Goals (2016-2030). Progress has been made in this regard, especially in terms of universal primary education and expanding healthcare coverage, although the results achieved still fall short of aspirations, as large segments of society continue to suffer from multidimensional deprivation in access to education, healthcare, basic social infrastructure, and housing conditions, amid clear social and regional disparities.
The continuation of such difficult conditions in our country prompted the Council of Counselors to dedicate the seventh session of the International Parliamentary Forum on Social Justice to the topic of human capital in Morocco, considering it as a driver of economic development and a fundamental lever for social justice based on equal opportunities for access to basic services for all individuals, regardless of their economic, social, and cultural characteristics.
Therefore, to deepen the discussion and collective thinking on ways and means to enhance human capital, allowing for the achievement of social justice and strengthening the conditions for the success of the Kingdom's new development model, the Seventh International Parliamentary Forum on Social Justice will be divided into four axes as follows:
- Promoting good healthcare services and social protection.
- Challenges in improving the education system.
- Enhancing human resources in the professional environment: A lever to promote economic and social welfare for all.
- Cultural diversity and the challenges of building an open and cohesive society.
This seventh edition will be distinguished by the wide participation of government members, parliamentarians, members of the Economic, Social, and Environmental Council, the President of the National Human Rights Council, presidents of regional human rights councils, secretaries-general of political parties, professional and trade union organizations, as well as representatives of the regions of Morocco, the presidents of municipal and provincial councils, the presidents of communal councils, and a number of interested professors and experts.
To emphasize the international character of this forum, an important delegation from the Oriental Republic of Uruguay will attend, along with the Director-General of the Islamic Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) and representatives of United Nations bodies resident in Morocco. The President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union will also participate remotely.