Morocco’s House of Representatives has unanimously adopted bill 58.23 concerning the direct social assistance system, as well as bill 59.23 creating the National Agency for Social Assistance.
During the presentation of these two bills, the minister delegate in charge of relations with Parliament and government spokesman, Mustapha Baitas, stressed that both texts are part of “an ambitious real project” and are based on a legal framework arising from the 2011 Constitution, which stipulates that “the construction of a united society where everyone enjoys equal opportunities, respect for their dignity and social justice is one of the pillars of the process of institutional consolidation of a modern state”.
Baitas clarified that these two projects are also part of the implementation of the Royal Social Protection Project and the Framework Law 09.21 on Social Protection, pointing out in this regard that this project is the result of a series of progressive reforms in policies, initiatives and structures during the mandate of King Mohammed VI.
According to the government spokesman, the state does not consider social issues “as an economic burden”, but rather as “a lever to promote social and human development”. Baitas also stressed in this regard that the government considers that the implementation of direct social assistance “should not be affected by economic conditions”, such as constraints in budget management or urgent commitments.
These two bills focused on social assistance will help improve development indicators linked to vital social sectors, in particular education and health, Baitas said.
The minister also stressed that the direct aid programme was implemented in compliance with the real agenda and in delicate regional and international geopolitical, social and economic conditions, which represents “an important achievement and challenge for the country”.
For their part, the deputies stressed the importance of the bill on the direct social assistance system and the bill creating the National Social Assistance Agency, stating that these two texts are in line with the real guidelines.
These two bills are also in line with the framework of the consolidation of the foundations of the social state, the parliamentarians added. Both bills mark the beginning of social progress and the contribution to the major social and economic reforms in which Morocco is engaged.
Bill 58.23 establishes a set of provisions specifying the components of the direct social assistance system, as well as the conditions and modalities for benefiting from it, while Bill 59.23 creating the National Social Assistance Agency aims to establish a public institution with legal personality and financial autonomy that will be responsible for ensuring the management, monitoring and evaluation of the direct social assistance system.
Source: Atalayar
