Rabat – The International Publishing and Book Fair (Siel) In Rabat this year there was a dynamic space for the discussion of urgent human rights issues than the National Human Rights Council (CNDH) on the 75th anniversary of the universal declaration of human rights.
This milestone prompted the CNDH to gather Denker, activists and artists who discuss the relevance of the universal explanation in today’s rapidly changing world, under the discussion of their collective book entitled “Is the universal humanistic ideal unfulfilled?”
The committee not only focused on historical challenges, but also on emerging, such as the effects of climate change, digitization and sustainability. The contributions to a collective book that was produced for the occasion reflect various global perspectives on human rights, in which intensive discussions about what was achieved and what else needs to be done have been triggered.
Cndh’s president of the roadblocks to progress
Amina Bouayach, CNDH President, was the focus of these discussions and reflected the current state of human rights worldwide. When asked about their contributions to the collective book and the change in things since the CNDH human rights symposium from 2022, Bouayach did not hold back to the systemic barriers that exist.
“It has become clear since 2022 that the human rights system faces strict challenges. These are not only ideological. They have become questions of financing and resources,” explained Bouayach, her tone seriously. “A decline in UN for human rights by 40% says a lot about the global priorities. This is a direct attack on human rights, especially in the global south.”
Her words, which underlined the complex nature of the struggle for human rights, came deep. Bouayach also pointed out that these financial cuts threaten to marginalize the efforts to protect the population groups in need of protection and to undermine the work done in Morocco and beyond.
However, Bouayach was not completely pessimistic. She recognized the efforts and found that the challenges remained, but there are dynamic measures to improve the human rights situation. “She continued to emphasize Morocco and continues to confirm his commitment to human rights.
Women on the side
The Cameroonian writer Djaili Amadou Amal also contributed to the collective book and drawn attention to the emergency of women in her country and all over Africa. When Amal was asked about the female state, he made a strong statement about the fights that women are exposed to every day.
“Women have waited too long for changes,” she complained. “When instability hits, women and girls are the first to suffer. And these are not just abstract figures – these are real life, real tragedies.” Amal also drew attention to the worrying increase in the forced and early marriages, a practice that continues to grow in many parts of the world.
For Amal, violence against women is not only physical, but structural. “Violence against women breeds other forms of violence. It is a social problem that cannot be ignored,” she said. She found that no country can make real progress without a lawful place for women in society. “A society can only develop if women get their lawful space,” concluded Amal, her words a powerful call to act for the future.
Human rights revised
Mohammed Benmoussa, a Moroccan economist and researcher, followed a more reflective approach and analyzed the origins of the human rights system.
He pointed out that the expectations of the universal explanation created in 1948 were somewhat utopian, especially compared to today’s hard realities. For him, the most important challenge is not only to respect human rights, but also to ensure their practical application.
“The universal explanation has set high expectations, but we are still confronted with questions of implementation. The main axes of human rights, respect, protection and the guarantee of the rights remain difficult to grasp for many,” said Benmoussa.
He called for greater transparency and accountability from everyone involved in the human rights representation. “Institutions have to be held accountable, and the public guidelines have to be used effectively to get forward.”
Culture as the driver of human rights
At the CNDH stand, Mustapha Najmi, the director of promoting human rights at CNDH, shared the broader vision of the organization for the commitment of human rights through cultural initiatives. “This year we have decided to promote human rights for the promotion of human rights,” said Najmi during a conversation with Morocco World News (MWN). “Culture can be a driver of development and a powerful instrument to enter human rights.”
Najmi noticed the admission of children in the CNDH program at Siel and found that these young participants come from the twelve regions of Morocco. Every day you have the opportunity to express yourself creatively through art and literature and to strengthen the connection between culture and promotion of human rights.
In the afternoon, the stand offered various performances and discussions, including music from the traditions of Gharnati and Andalusian, as well as Slam poetry. Najmi believes these cultural expressions play a crucial role in promoting human rights by promoting dialogue and promoting mutual understanding.
“The importance of cultural diversity and pluralism cannot be overrated,” continued Najmi. “With these cultural expressions, we can get a meaningful conversation about human rights and what needs to be done to ensure that everyone enjoys this right, regardless of the background.”
A call to renew the human rights efforts
When the discussions at Siel 2025 unfoldedIt was clear that considerable progress was made, but the journey to fully realize human rights remains long and full of challenges.
Bouayach’s last words summarized the mood of the event: “Cultural diversity and pluralism enable us to get together, to shape a more integrative world. It is up to all of us, our commitment to human rights, to renew more than ever.”
Through panels, cultural initiatives and the collective contributions from activists, scientists and artists, the CNDH continues to lead the effort to ensure that human rights are not only ideals, but the realities that have lived by everyone.
The convergence of these powerful conversations under the roof of the 30th output fair of Siel serves as a memory that literature is much more than one vehicle for storytelling, since it is a room in which rights, identity and resistance develop.
At this intersection, words have the weight of the experiences lived, challenging injustice systems and imagine alternative futures. Whether by Amadou Amal, urgent considerations about women’s rights or through the poems and performances at the CNDH stand, literature becomes a witness, refuge and a form of action.
Culture is not an accessories for human rights, but their basis. And in the context of a book fair in which readers and writers meet, this truth is impossible to ignore: every page read and every shared story can open the way for greater justice.
This year’s Siel welcomed over 253,000 visitors in the first seven days and marked an increase of 39%compared to the previous edition.
