Africa

Morocco

Strong commitment to stop the exploitation of girls as maidservants

In the kingdom of Morocco, Terre des hommes (Tdh) is helping sick children, providing maternal and child healthcare to sub-Saharan immigrants and combating the exploitation of young girls as maidservants.

Specialised care

Since the end of the 1960s, activities in Morocco have focused on basic medical care and specialised treatments (e.g. cardiopathy), to which the majority of the population has no access. Sick children are looked after in their own country if possible, if not they are transferred to Europe.

Mother and child projects

A new psycho-social project helps sub-Saharan immigrant women with pre- and post-natal care. Tdh also supports five local associations that support single mothers: babies are cared for in nurseries, older children receive help with schooling and all are given instruction in basic hygiene. A social worker refers mothers to the appropriate health services and they are also assisted with social integration.

Combating exploitation

In Morocco, many thousands of young girls work as maidservants and are badly treated. Tdh is tackling the root of this exploitation by limiting the sending of children from the country to the towns, by supporting young girls in their education or directing the families to other aid services, such as micro-credits. By lobbying the authorities, Tdh is fighting to ensure that the procurers in this type of child trafficking are punished by law.

Migrants rights

Terre des Hommes Spain, with the support of Terre des hommes Lausanne, the European Union, Moroccan associations GADEM and Oum El Banine, fights for the protection of migrant women and children and for the promotion of the rights of migrants in Morocco. This project follows on nearly three years of activity to help the most vulnerable migrants. The goal is to reduce the vulnerability of the migrant women and children in Morocco, to improve their access to health, education and legal services. That is to say, to their inherent rights stated in various international agreements ratified by Morocco. Further information

Centered at -7.9262 31.79172 5

Places of intervention : Rabat, Casablanca, Agadir, Oujda, Tanger

Projects : Specialised care, Maternal and child health, Combating exploitation of maidservants, Migrants rights

In joint cooperation with : Oum El Banine, GADEM, Terre des Hommes Spain

Delegate : Vincent Tournecuillert

Expatriate staff : 1

National staff : 5

Budget : 758'517 CHF

Gallery

Latest News

10 May 2012 • Trafficking and exploitation Morocco
Morocco: Shepherd or domestic children – The fight against unlawful practices

In the Souss valley, one often meets children working in the fields or who have gone to work as ‘little maids’ in families in the towns. Tdh is developing a scheme to protect the children or to release hundreds of them from a situation of exploitation as domestics or farm work... Read more
19 Mar 2012 • Trafficking and exploitation Morocco
Morocco: Terre des hommes encourages application of the rights of migrant women and children

The project "Tamkine-Migrants", aiming at strengthening the rights of migrants in Morocco, was presented at a national workshop in Rabat on the subject of "Migrant women and children: What rights are now effective in Morocco". This project is about reducing... Read more

Side Notes

Children’s situation

Child mortality in children under age 5 is increasing: 3%
30% of children aged between 5 and 14 years have to work in Morocco

Results 2011

In the Valley of Souss in the south of Morocco, a new project run by Tdh enabled 165 children, young female domestic workers and young male shepherds to receive services from Tdh and helped them to be reintegrated into the school system. In the north of the country, a new team was established with our national partners to promote the right to healthcare and education for migrants arriving in Rabat, Tangiers and Oujda. The migrant situation is alarming and 180 case files have already been opened. More than 400 children suffering from heart disorders received treatment from Tdh, with 105 being operated on in Europe and 27 in Morocco. Tdh provided care to 359 children in the form of post-operative follow-up, direct aid and social investigations.

Testimonial

Fadma est une jeune fille de 12 ans originaire de la campagne du sud du Maroc, nichée dans les dunes du Sahara. Son père, sourd et muet, ne peut que travailler la petite parcelle de terrain qu’il a héritée de ses parents. Il y cultive des légumes et des dattes pour nourrir sa femme et ses huit...

- Fadma, bénéficiaire de Tdh au Maroc