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PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHCL #0013/01 0321617
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 011617Z FEB 10
FM AMCONSUL CASABLANCA
TO RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8607
INFO RUEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASH DC
RUCNMGH/MAGHREB COLLECTIVE
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 0352
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 1003
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0001

UNCLAS CASABLANCA 000013 
 
SIPDIS 
 
LABOR FOR DOL/ILAB - LEYLA STROKANP, RACHEL RIGBY AND TINA MCCARTER 
STATE FOR DRL/ILCSR - SARAH MORGAN 
STATE ALSO FOR G/TIP - LUIS CDEBACA AND NEA/MAG 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ELAB EIND ETRD EAID PHUM SOCI KWMN MO
SUBJECT: 2009 MOROCCO UPDATE ON CHILD LABOR FOR TVPRA AND TDA 
 
REF: 09 STATE 131995 
 
INTRODUCTION 
------------ 
 
¶1.  (U) This message provides requested updates for the Department 
of Labor's annual report on forced labor and exploitive child labor 
as mandated under the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization 
Act (TVPRA) and the Trade and Development Act (TDA) and requested in 
reftel. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) The Government of Morocco (GOM) recognizes that there is 
an ongoing problem with child labor in the country and has made 
significant progress towards eradicating it.  In recent years, 
Morocco has strengthened several legal codes aimed at ending the 
exploitation of children, funded anti-child labor programs 
implemented by NGOs, funded awareness raising campaigns, and stepped 
up enforcement of the labor code. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) There are no up-to-date statistics on the prevalence of 
child labor in Morocco.  The last comprehensive study was published 
in 2003 by UNICEF under the title "Understanding Child Work" (UCW) 
which relied principally on government statistics from 1999. 
According to the UCW some 600,000 children ages 7-14, or 11 percent 
of that age group, were engaged in work in early 2000.  The 
overwhelming majority of child workers (87 percent) were engaged in 
rural work for their families and not for wages.  Children's work in 
urban areas was broken down across the following industries: 
textiles (25 percent), commerce (16 percent), domestic service (12 
percent), repairs (9 percent) and other industries (20 percent). 
 
Tasking 1: TVPRA 
---------------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Goods Produced by Forced Labor or Child Labor:  The 
Mission does not have any information that Moroccan goods are 
produced using forced child labor or exploitive child labor.  There 
is significant evidence that child labor still exists in the 
production of traditional handicrafts.  This labor, however, does 
not rise to the level of forced or exploitive labor and will be 
addressed in tasking 2. 
 
Tasking 2: TDA 
-------------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) 2A.  Prevalence and Sectoral Distribution of Exploitive 
Child Labor:  Child labor, in general, was a widespread phenomenon 
in Morocco and was found principally in young boys working in 
construction, car repair, agriculture (primarily family farms) and 
other service sectors.  Child labor for girls was most prevalent 
among child domestics.  Finally, child sexual exploitation continued 
to affect children of both sexes. 
 
2A.1.  Female child domestics or "petites bonnes" continued to be a 
problem in 2009.  A 2001 study undertaken by the Ministry of 
Employment and Professional Training and the Municipality of 
Casablanca with the assistance of the UN Population Fund estimated 
that there were more than 22,940 children between the ages of 12 and 
18 working as domestics in Casablanca alone.  Of this number 13,580 
were under the age of 16.  A study by the NGO Save the Children done 
in 2001 estimated that there are 66,000 girls in Morocco under the 
age of 15 with no relation or kinship working in a domestic servant 
capacity.  Child domestics are especially vulnerable to 
exploitation.  Child domestics face increased risk of physical and 
sexual abuse from their employers.  Furthermore, they typically work 
very long hours, do not attend school, and have high rates of 
illiteracy. 
 
2A.2.  The GOM did not collect or publish data on exploitive child 
labor in 2009. 
 
2B.1.  No new laws or regulations were enacted in 2009 in regard to 
exploitive child labor.  However, during the year the Ministry of 
Employment and Professional Training (MOEPT) began updating its 
lists of industries that qualify as "hazardous work" for children. 
The MOL expects to publish its new list by April 2010.  In addition, 
both the MOL and the Ministry of Social Development, Family and 
Solidarity (MOSD) have forwarded separate draft legislation to the 
Secretary General of the Government introducing legislation that 
would expand the labor code to better protect domestic servants and 
substantially increase penalties for employers who use child 
domestic workers.  The submission by two separate ministries of a 
draft law to address the problem of child domestics is indicative of 
the GOM's commitment to address this problem. 
 
2B.2.  Moroccan laws and regulatory framework are adequate to 
address exploitive child labor in most instances.  The one area 
where the laws are inadequate is the widespread use of child 
domestics since domestic servants are not covered by the labor code 
and the labor inspectors do not have the authority to inspect a 
private residence.  The GOM is considering two draft laws that seek 
to address this problem. 
 
Institutions and Mechanisms for Enforcement 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (SBU) DOL has requested that post report using separate sections 
to answer questions regarding hazardous child labor and a second 
section on forced labor.  The Government of Morocco (GOM) collected 
but provided only limited data on the enforcement of child labor 
issues.  The GOM did not disaggregate the data to specify what, if 
any, prosecutions constituted hazardous child labor, forced child 
labor or regular child labor.  The Mission has, therefore, conflated 
the two sections to provide an overview of GOM enforcement of child 
labor violations.  A senior representative from the MOEPT told 
PolOff that cases of forced child labor in Morocco are extremely 
rare and that he was not aware of any such cases in 2009. 
 
2C Section I and II:  Hazardous Child Labor/Forced Child Labor 
 
2C.1.  Enforcement of child labor issues can be divided into 
dangerous work that is covered by the labor code and enforced by 
labor inspectors and illicit work that is covered by the penal code 
and enforced by the police and gendarmes.  Enforcement is, 
therefore, the responsibility of both the Ministry of Employment and 
Professional Training and the Ministry of Interior (MOI).  In 
addition, the MOSD is responsible for providing protection and 
services to child victims and the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) is 
responsible for prosecuting crimes under the penal code. 
 
2C.2.  There was limited cooperation between the police and labor 
inspectors as their work rarely overlapped.  The MOSD and MOJ have 
created "focal points" in hospitals, the courts and police stations 
that are responsible for providing services to child victims and to 
assist them in navigating the bureaucracy. 
 
2C.3.  The GOM does not have a mechanism for making complaints about 
hazardous and force child labor violations.  The GOM does have a 
designated hotline known as a "green line" that fields calls in 
response to the mistreatment of women and children.  The GOM 
provided statistics only on how many calls it received regarding 
incidents of sex crimes, violence or neglect. 
 
2C.4.  The MOEPT was unable to provide disaggregated funding 
information specifically for the labor inspectors or for those 
inspectors who act as the focal points for children's issues.  In 
general, labor inspectors did not have adequate facilities, numbers 
or transport to carry out their inspections. 
 
2C.5.  The MOL employed 412 inspectors who are deployed around the 
country in 45 labor inspectors' offices.  Each office had an 
inspector who is the designated focal point for children's issues 
and received specialized training of up to 14 weeks on child labor 
issues from the International Labor Organization's International 
Program on the Elimination of Child Labor (ILO-IPEC) and the MOEPT. 
Additionally, 330 of the 412 inspectors have received some form of 
training on the issue of child labor.  Given the size of the country 
and scarcity of labor inspector's offices, the number of inspectors 
was generally not sufficient to adequately monitor and enforce the 
labor code. 
 
2C.6.  The MOL was not able to provide disaggregated information on 
the total number of inspections that involved child labor, the 
average size of the fine or punishment or whether the inspections 
were complaint-driven or government-initiated.  The MOL reported 
that in the first six months of 2009, labor inspectors issued 94 
warnings and 39 fines to businesses for employing children under 15 
years of age.  In addition, the inspectors issued 616 warnings and 
19 fines to businesses for employing children between the age of 15 
and 18.  The Ministry was unable to provide information on whether 
the kinds of businesses that employed children and whether it 
involved hazardous work, forced labor or simple child labor. 
 
2C.7.  According to the MOEPT, 11,714 children have been removed 
from work since the inception of the ILO-IPEC program in 2002.  The 
Ministry was unable to provide information on the number of children 
removed in 2009 as a result of inspections. 
 
2C.8.  The MOEPT reported that labor inspectors issued 58 fines to 
businesses for employing minors, but it was unable to specify if the 
fines involved instances of hazardous or forced labor. 
 
2C.9 and 10.  The MOEPT reported that the 58 fines amounted to 
convictions under the law. 
2C.11.  The cases were dealt with exclusively as fines. 
 
2C.12.  Penalties were applied, and the fines levied were in 
accordance with the law.  The MOEPT was unable to supply 
disaggregated information on the average fine. 
 
2C.13.  The GOM is committed to the eradication of child labor and 
has demonstrated this through its enforcement efforts and its legal 
reforms. 
 
2C.14.  The MOEPT in conjunction with ILO-IPEC offered specialized 
training lasting 14 weeks to the 45 labor inspectors designated as 
focal points on the issue of child labor.  In addition, a total of 
330 labor inspectors, or 80 percent of the total, have received some 
form of specialized training on child labor issues. 
 
Enforcement of Child Trafficking, Commercial Sexual Exploitation of 
Children, and the use of Children in Illicit Activities 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶7.  (SBU) The Mission has conflated its responses to the three 
sections concerning child trafficking, commercial sexual 
exploitation (CSEC) and the use of children in illicit activities 
because the Government of Morocco was not able to provide 
substantial disaggregated data for each subject. 
 
2D.1.  The police and gendarmes, part of the MOI, are the principal 
officials responsible for enforcement of the penal code, which 
covers the crimes of child trafficking, CSEC and the use of children 
in illicit activities.  The Ministry of Justice is responsible for 
prosecuting the crimes and the MOSD is charged with child protection 
and development of policy.  In 1999 the Government of Morocco 
created the National Observatory for the Rights of the Child (ONDE), 
which is headed by Princess Lalla Meryem, the sister of King 
Mohammed VI.  ONDE, in cooperation with the MOSD and the Ministry of 
Health, created "Children Reception Centers" to provide services to 
children victims of violence, sexual abuse or neglect.  These 
centers are staffed by nurses and social workers and are located at 
most major hospitals.  In 2008, the date of the most recent 
statistics, ONDE reported dealing with 120 cases of sexual abuse, 
141 cases of physical abuse, 167 cases of negligence and 132 cases 
of aid provided to a child.  In addition, in 2007, the MOSD has 
created two Centers of Infant Protection (UPE) in Marrakesh and 
Casablanca that are service centers staffed and prepared to assist 
children who are the victims of sexual abuse or violence.  The MOSD 
reported that it plans to expand the UPE program to four other 
cities, but international and non-governmental organizations 
reported that the UPE was inadequately funded and staffed in its two 
existing locations.  The police and gendarmes, in the larger urban 
areas, have officers specifically dedicated to child issues and the 
MOJ has created "child cells" within the courts designed to help 
children victims during their legal proceedings 
 
2D.2.  The Ministries of Interior and Justice were not able to 
provide a disaggregation of funds dedicated specifically to child 
trafficking, CSEC and illicit goods. 
 
2D.3.  The Government of Morocco has a designated hotline known as a 
"green line" that fields calls in response to the mistreatment of 
women and children.  The GOM was not able to provide statistics on 
how many cases specifically dealt with CSEC issues in 2009. 
 
2D.4.  The most up-to-date crime statistics published by the MOJ are 
from 2008.  Since all court records, including sentencing 
information, are recorded by hand and submitted at the end of the 
year to headquarters, it takes the MOJ substantial time to compile 
statistical information.  In 2008 the MOJ reported the following: 
138 cases of the exploitation of children to beg and the prosecution 
of 143 individuals, 73 cases of the exploitation of children in 
drugs and the prosecution of 80 individuals, 203 cases of 
facilitating the prostitution of minors and the prosecution of 193 
people, 160 cases of pimping a minor and the prosecution of 239 
individuals.  The MOJ also reported that in 2009 10 foreigners were 
prosecuted for engaging in homosexual acts with a minor, inciting a 
minor to prostitution and the violent rape of a minor.  The 
sentences for the foreigners ranged from two years to one month in 
prison.  In addition, the MOJ published statistics about violence 
committed against children and noted that in 2008 there were 1,856 
cases of battery against a child resulting in the prosecution of 
1,966 individuals and 1,519 cases of aggravated battery against a 
child resulting in the prosecution of 1,617 individuals.  These 
statistics do not reveal to what extent these crimes may have 
involved an employer and a child.  The phenomenon of child domestics 
is widespread in Morocco and there have been a number of high 
profile cases of abuse in the media.  For example, in October 2009 
the spouse of a judge in Oujda was sentenced to three and half years 
in prison for aggravated battery after torturing her child 
domestic. 
 
2D.5.  The MOJ was unable to provide statistics on the number of 
children rescued as a result of its prosecutions. 
 
2D.6.  Arrests and convictions are listed in 2D.4. 
 
2D.7./2D.8/2D.9.  All of the cases listed in 2D.4 resulted in 
successful prosecutions and convictions.  The sentences imposed met 
the standards established in the legal framework. 
 
2D.10.  The Ministry of Justice was unable to provide information on 
whether the sentences imposed were fully served.  A senior 
representative from the MOJ told PolOff that she believed the 
sentences would be fully served. 
 
2D.11.  The MOJ was unable to provide information on the average 
time it takes to resolve a case of child trafficking/CSEC/or the use 
of children in illicit activities. 
 
2D.12.  The GOM offered various types of training on issues related 
to human rights, women's and children's issues to security officers 
at the MOI and judges and prosecutors at the MOJ.  Some of the 
training modules taught in 2009 included "Protection of the Rights 
of Children," "Action Plan of the Ministry of Justice to Take Charge 
of Child Victims of Violence," "The Phenomenon of Violence against 
Women", "Fighting Violence against Women" and similar courses. 
 
2D.13.  Morocco did not experience armed conflict or have a problem 
with child soldiers in 2009. 
 
Government Policy on Child Labor 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶8.  (SBU) 2E.1-7.  The Government of Morocco did include child labor 
specifically as an issue to be addressed in poverty reduction, 
development, education and in other social policies.  It did so 
under the general rubric of child labor but did not specify 
"exploitive child labor."  The GOM's child labor efforts are covered 
in section 2F.1.-6. 
 
Social Programs to Eliminate or Prevent Child Labor 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶9.  (SBU) 2F.1.  In 2006 the GOM launched its "National Plan of 
Action for Children" (PANE), outlining the government's strategy for 
children's rights for 2006-2015 and headed by the king's sister 
Princess Lalla Meryem.  The MOSD oversees the program with the 
cooperation of other government ministries and has as its four goals 
children's health, protection, education and participation.  In May 
2008, the MOSD held a strategic review of the PANE and offered 
criticisms of its shortcomings and recommendations for its continued 
implementation from 2008-2010.  Furthermore, in 2007 the Government 
created an inter-ministerial commission known as "Inqad" to fight 
child employment, particularly child domestics.  The commission is 
tasked with making recommendations to the Government on judicial 
reforms and working with partners in civil society to improve the 
situation of child labor.  Inqad also spearheaded an anti-child 
labor awareness campaign from January to February 2007, using print 
media, radio and television to disseminate information about the 
dangers of child labor.  The MOEPT is preparing another national 
awareness raising campaign in 2010 and presented the poster and 
other campaign material to PolOff. 
 
2F.2.  Reducing child labor has been the focus of a number of 
government projects, mainly through reducing poverty and increasing 
school retention in rural areas.  In 2005 the Government of Morocco 
launched the National Initiative for Human Development (INDH), a 
five year, billion-dollar human development plan that has as one of 
its principal components alleviating rural poverty and increasing 
school retention. 
 
2F.3.  The Government, through a World Bank loan, provided USD one 
billion to the INDH initiative.  As part of the PANE, the MOEPT in 
conjunction with ILO-IPEC funded eight NGOs across the country 
specifically to combat child labor.  There are currently 10 
anti-child labor programs being funded, some of which began in 2007 
and which will continue until 2010.  For fiscal year 2009, the GOM 
and IPEC contributed the equivalent of USD 337,758 to the NGOs to 
implement programs on combating child labor, raising awareness and 
rescuing children. 
 
2F.4.  In 2009 the GOM both provided direct financial support to 
NGOs working on the issue of child labor and hosted conferences that 
included civil society and the unions to address the problem of 
child labor.  The MOEPT also hosts an annual committee to combat 
child labor that brings together stakeholders from civil society, 
the unions, foreign governments and international organizations to 
review ongoing efforts on child labor. 
 
2F.5.  The MOSD and the MOEPT have both forwarded draft legislation 
to the Secretary General of the Government to address the problem of 
child domestics.  The Mission is unable to say at what point such a 
law will pass or in what form, but the fact that two ministries have 
independently proposed draft legislation demonstrates the GOM's 
awareness and sensitivity to this ongoing problem. 
 
2F.6.  The GOM did not sign any new international agreements to 
combat trafficking.  However, the Government announced in May 2009 
its intention to bring its laws into accordance with the Palermo 
Protocol on Trafficking. 
 
Continued Progress 
------------------ 
 
¶10.  (SBU) 2G.  Morocco has made progress and has demonstrated the 
political will to combat exploitive child labor.  Morocco has a 
strong legal framework and through its funding and enforcement 
efforts has demonstrated its willingness to tackle this issue.  The 
phenomenon of child labor, however, is still a significant issue in 
Morocco and is intricately tied to low literacy levels, poverty and 
other socio-economic shortcomings that the GOM is struggling to 
address.  Morocco also has serious deficits in its ability to 
adequately enforce its labor code.  Finally, the GOM has also shown 
greater transparency by providing statistics on enforcement 
mechanisms over the last two years. 
 
¶11.  (SBU) This cable was prepared by Casablanca PolOff Matthew 
Lehrfeld, who can be reached at lehrfeldmw@state.gov or by 
telephone: +212522264550 ext. 4151.  Contact information and source 
material is available upon request.  U.S. officials held 
consultations with Government of Morocco representatives from the 
MOEPT, the MOSD, the MOJ, and the MOI.  PolOff also met and 
consulted with representatives from UNICEF, ILO-IPEC, HCR, IOM, 
NGOs, trade unions and academics. 
 
¶12.  (U) The following reports published in the last five years are 
available in French upon request: 
¶1.  Child Labor in the Traditional Sector, M. El Hadj El Kouri, July 
2009, UNICEF Morocco 
¶2.  Agriculture without Child Labor, April 2008, M. Nacer El Kadiri 
ILO-IPEC 
¶3.  Study of the Professional Risks and Illnesses associated with 
Child Labor between 15-18 years in the artisanal sector of 
Marrakesh, M. Mohammed Islah, July 2009, EFICA Consultants 
 
¶13.  (U) Embassy Rabat has coordinated on this message. 
 
Millard