Human Trafficking in [Morocco] [other countries]
Street Children in [Morocco] [other countries]
Child Prostitution in [Morocco] [other countries]
 

Child Prostitution

The Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children

In the first ten years of the 21^st Century - 2000 to 2009

Kingdom of Morocco Moroccan economic policies brought macroeconomic stability to the country in the early 1990s but have not spurred growth sufficient to reduce unemployment - nearing 20% in urban areas – Moroccan authorities understand that reducing poverty and providing jobs are key to domestic security and development. In 2005, Morocco launched the National Initiative for Human Development (INDH), a $2 billion social development plan to address poverty and unemployment and to improve the living conditions of the country's urban slums. Long-term challenges include improving education and job prospects for Morocco's youth, and closing the income gap between the rich and the poor, which the government hopes to achieve by increasing tourist arrivals and boosting competitiveness in textiles. [The World Factbook, U.S.C.I.A. 2009]

CAUTION:  The following links and accompanying text have been culled from the web to illuminate the situation in Morocco. Some of these links may lead to websites that present allegations that are unsubstantiated, misleading or even false. No attempt has been made to validate their authenticity or to verify their content.

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Child prostitution and the spread of AIDS

www.popline.org/docs/154139

In Morocco, child prostitution is a large and growing problem and the government is being forced to address the situation. Although legislation is in place to punish people convicted of sexual abuse of children, the rate of prostitution is still high. Joint research studies by the government and the UN have revealed that up to 48% of street children have been sexually abused, often in return for lodging and food. In a study conducted in 1995 by the Moroccan AIDS Service Organization, it was found that most prostitutes were not aware of the risks of AIDS and did not know how to negotiate safer sex with clients. It also indicated that many prostitutes had precarious living conditions due to economic dependence and had many sexual partners. Visitors and tourists play a significant part in this trade. Tourism continues to provide clients for child prostitutes, many of whom are uneducated about AIDS.

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U.S. Dept of Labor Bureau of International Labor Affairs

INCIDENCE AND NATURE OF CHILD LABOR - Girls and boys working as domestic servants and street vendors are increasingly targets of child sex tourism, particularly in the cities of Marrakech and Casablanca. Use of minors as prostitutes for sex tourists from Europe and the Gulf region has occurred in the village of El Hajeb near Meknes.

Bur of Democracy, Human Rights & Labor - Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2005

WOMEN - The law prohibits prostitution; however, it was prevalent, especially in urban centers. NGO activists estimated that there were thousands of teenage prostitutes in urban centers. Their clientele were both foreign tourists and citizens. In July the government acted against sex tourism, convicting 60 local prostitutes in Agadir, a resort town. Authorities also arrested three young women in Agadir after their photographs were discovered on a pornographic Web site. The arrests drew criticism from human rights activists, who pointed out that the men involved, tourists from Gulf countries and Europe, were not punished.

TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS – Prostitution of trafficked minors was a particular problem in the village of El Hajeb near Meknes, as well as in Agadir and Marrakech, which attracted sex tourists from Europe and the Arab Gulf states. To combat prostitution the government amended the penal code in 2003 to make sex tourism a crime, while other amendments increased the penalties for promoting child pornography and child prostitution and for employing underage children. Recent arrests indicate that the amendment had an impact.

Concluding Observations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) - 2003

[62] The Committee welcomes the hosting by the State party of the Arab-African Forum Against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children in preparation for the Yokohama Conference and notes that the Penal Code is under review regarding this issue, but remains concerned at the high incidence of sexual exploitation in the State party. The Committee is also concerned at the fact that the legislation of the State party does not protect all children below 18 years from sexual exploitation as various ages have been set in several acts regarding sexual exploitation. The Committee is further concerned at the status of child victims of sexual exploitation who may be treated as offenders.

ECPAT: Fifth Report on implementation of the Agenda for Action [DOC]

www.ecpat.net/eng/Ecpat_inter/publication/other/english/Doc_page/ecpat_5th_a4a_2001_full.doc

At one time this article had been archived and may possibly still be accessible [here]

[B] COUNTRY UPDATES – MOROCCO – According to the Special Rapporteur’s study, the issue of girls being drawn into prostitution should be given more attention. There is a proliferation of reports that a growing number of girls, many of whom have started out as domestic helpers, are taken to Hajeb, in Middle Atlas, where they are made to prostitute themselves.

Report by Special Rapporteur [DOC]

[56] Awareness about sexual exploitation is increasing. In May 2002, King Mohammed VI requested the Children’s Parliament to pay particular attention to the question of child victims of violence, and a committee of experts has now been appointed to develop a national program against the maltreatment and exploitation of children.  A recent revision of article 446 of the Penal Code provides that certain professionals, notably doctors, must report suspicions of violations having been committed against children.  Other developments include the creation by the Ministry of Human Rights of a network of centers to provide judicial and psychological assistance to children in difficult circumstances and child victims of violence.  However, sex outside marriage is illegal and those over 12 are criminally liable; accordingly, children in prostitution between 12 and 18 would bear criminal responsibility.

Special Rapporteur On The Sale Of Children, Child Prostitution, Child Pornography - 2000

www.hri.ca/fortherecord2001/vol2/moroccotr.htm

At one time this article had been archived and may possibly still be accessible [here]

Concerning the prostitution of boys, the report notes that: the primary reason for boys entering prostitution has to do with their being sent by their families, or choosing for themselves, to leave their homes to seek employment. On the prostitution of girls, the report notes that unlike boys, it is not culturally acceptable for girls to live on the street. Many of the girls who work in the brothels in El Hajeb are former child maids. With regard to child sex tourism, the SR noted that child sex abuse is largely carried out by Moroccans and that there have been few reported cases where children have been used in prostitution for foreigners. The authorities acknowledged, however, that this type of abuse is very hidden and that such cases would rarely come to their attention.

ECPAT: It is difficult to obtain information on the nature and extent

www.ecpat.net/eng/ecpat_inter/Country/CSECOverview/Morocco.html

At one time this article had been archived and may possibly still be accessible [here]

It is difficult to obtain information on the nature and extent of CSEC in Morocco because of the lack of statistical data. Public belief is that CSEC in the region is rare, almost non-existent. Governments and communities at large believe that this is due to religious education that shows deep respect for the teachings of Islam.

ECPAT: Looking Back, Thinking Forward [PDF]

www.ecpat.net/eng/Ecpat_inter/Publication/Other/English/Pdf_page/csec_4th_a4a_2000.pdf

At one time this article had been archived and may possibly still be accessible [here]

Child sex tourism is most apparent in Morocco and Egypt. In cities like Cairo, Alexandria, Marrakech and Casablanca and other tourist areas, there is now a relation between tourism and the growth in the commercial sexual exploitation of children. Girls and boys, who work as domestics and street vendors are targeted by child sex tourists. A Moroccan NGO, Association Bayti reports that the profile of sexual exploiters of children is changing in Essaouira, Marakesh and Agadir. Westerners now account for the bulk of the exploiters as opposed to people from the Middle East. Furthermore, boy prostitution is reported to be a growing phenomenon in Morocco.

ECPAT International North Africa Regional Consultation on the Elimination of CSEC

A Situational Analysis of Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children in Morocco  [PDF]

www.ecpat.net/eng/ecpat_inter/projects/monitoring/rabat/index.asp

At one time this article had been archived and may possibly still be accessible [here]

[2.1.1] Prevalence - Official statistics provided by police and judiciary services do not reflect the entire situation because these statistics are based on what cases actually reach police and judiciary personnel. For example, according to police and judiciary services:

• 1999: 102 cases (17 rapes, 63 attacks on decency, 19 cases of prostitution, 3 other)

• 2000: 69 cases (9 rapes, 36 attacks on decency, 14 cases of prostitution, 2 other)

• 2001: 210 cases

• 2002: 38 cases of adults charged with procuring or incitement of minors to prostitution.

Child prostitution and the spread of AIDS

www.popline.org/docs/154139

In Morocco, child prostitution is a large and growing problem and the government is being forced to address the situation. Although legislation is in place to punish people convicted of sexual abuse of children, the rate of prostitution is still high. Joint research studies by the government and the UN have revealed that up to 48% of street children have been sexually abused, often in return for lodging and food. In a study conducted in 1995 by the Moroccan AIDS Service Organization, it was found that most prostitutes were not aware of the risks of AIDS and did not know how to negotiate safer sex with clients. It also indicated that many prostitutes had precarious living conditions due to economic dependence and had many sexual partners. Visitors and tourists play a significant part in this trade. Tourism continues to provide clients for child prostitutes, many of whom are uneducated about AIDS.

Commercial sexual exploitation of children - Middle East/North Africa region

These countries also have in common, however, a number of constraints that have hindered preparation of national plans of action. In all the countries of the region, there is cultural resistance to addressing the problem because the subject is largely taboo. Often the issue is dealt with more generally under headings such as ‘violence’ and ‘trauma’. This means that there has been no regional consensus on defining CSEC in law; in some countries, for example, it is looked upon as an indecent act, in others as rape, although in all 20 countries there is some section of the penal code that can be invoked against sexual abuse and exploitation.

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Human Trafficking in [Morocco] [other countries]
Street Children in [Morocco] [other countries]
Child Prostitution in [Morocco] [other countries]