The right to access to information is one of the fundamental rights, guaranteed by international conventions, the Moroccan constitution, and Law No. 31.13 related to the right to access to information. This law regulates the right of citizens and foreign residents in Morocco to access and request information produced or received by institutions or bodies concerned with public service tasks.
In this context, the SimSim, in partnership with the Pionniers du Changement pour le Développement et la Culture Association, and with joint support from the European Union in Morocco, launched the project “The Right to Access to Information as a Tool for Advocacy, Transparency, and Good Governance.”
Project Objectives:
- Support associations and journalists in six regions of Morocco in advocating for local public affairs.
- Enhance the responsiveness of public institutions and relevant bodies to requests for information through advocacy, monitoring, and dialogue, in cooperation with local civil society organizations.
- Build a network of associations and journalists to initiate a constructive discussion on institutional transparency and advocate for substantial amendments to the Law on the Right to Access to Information.
Target Groups:
- Civil society organizations
- Citizens
- Journalists
- Public institutions
Targeted Regions:
- Oriental Region
- Fès-Meknès Region
- Beni Mellal-Khénifra Region
- Marrakesh-Safi Region
- Drâa-Tafilalet Region
- Souss-Massa Region
Key steps in the project’s implementation:
- Introduce the project and form partnerships with one association in each of the six regions.
- Organize training sessions for 30 community actors to strengthen their capacities related to access to information and coordinate with them to organize six training workshops in the six regions. Following these sessions, at least 100 requests for information will be submitted.
- Coordinate with partner associations to establish six regional observatories for the right to access information.
- Prepare periodic reports on the responsiveness of public institutions and relevant bodies to information requests and the extent to which they implement proactive information publishing measures.
- Organize three annual conferences with the participation of the Right to Access to Information Committee, the Ministry of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform, as well as parliamentary groups, to present the outcomes of the regional observatories and propose amendments to Law No. 31.13 on the right to access information.
Our Partner in Implementing the Project:
- Pionniers du Changement pour le Développement et la Culture Association: An independent, non-profit Moroccan association founded in 2014 in Oujda. It seeks to build a democratic, progressive, modern society based on freedom, dignity, and respect for human rights.
