Essaouira: Chairperson of the Petitions Committee Takes Part in National Forum on Participatory Democracy

<p style="text-align: justify;">Chairperson of the Petitions Committee at the House of Representatives and Deputy Speaker of the House, Rep. Khadija Ezzoumi, took part on December 15-16, 2023, in Essaouira, in the National Forum on Participatory Democracy, organized by the Ministry Delegate to the Head of Government in Charge of Relations with the Parliament on the theme: "Participatory Democracy and the Challenge to Expand Citizen Participation."</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The Forum featured the participation of around 350 associations representing the various provinces and regions of the Kingdom and operating in different fields. The Forum took place in the form of plenary seminars, workshops, and presentations that covered the theme of the Forum, particularly participatory democracy in our country.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">In her intervention, the Chairperson of the Petitions Committee tackled the mechanisms and measures adopted by the House of Representatives as part of its openness to citizens and under the scope of participatory democracy. Rep. Khadija Ezzoumi also shed light on the initiatives taken by the House to institutionalize the relationship it entertains with civil society bodies, with full respect to the constitutional prerogatives and roles. Besides, she also underscored the challenge set by the House of Representatives in granting attention to youth as a category that can play major roles in advancing participatory democracy and citizen participation, as well as in reinforcing trust in institutions.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Regarding petitions and motions, Rep. Khadija Ezzoumi noted that the constitutionalization and legislative regulation of these mechanisms, being a tradition in parliamentary action, indicates the maturity of the Moroccan democracy as His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may Allah glorify him, has always intended to entrench and implement. The Chairperson of the Petitions Committee added that this maturity still faces several challenges that require deploying further efforts by citizens and civil society to achieve efficiency in implementing these constitutional rights. She also shed light on the pedagogical function of participatory democracy in educating on citizenship, accepting others, and respecting difference and diversity under the Moroccan model and the national institutional traditions.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The Forum culminated in several recommendations that commended the role of civil society in the Moroccan democratic process and underscored the imperative of developing associations and simplifying procedures to put into action all the measures aimed at implementing participatory democracy, with a view to expanding citizen participation in all areas of governance and public affairs management.</p>