Rabat: Under the presidency of Her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Meryem, the National Observatory for Children’s Rights (ONDE) held its annual meeting with its institutional public and private partners on Monday, March 30, 2026. This event, part of the dynamic guided by His Majesty King Mohammed VI for the protection of childhood and the promotion of its fundamental rights, offered an opportunity to review the achievements of 2025 and outline future prospects through strategic agreements, the Observatory stated.
According to Agence Marocaine De Presse, ONDE’s 2025 report emphasizes health and digital innovation as primary strategic focuses. Child health was prioritized through advocacy efforts to boost measles vaccination and support the national HPV immunization program. Additionally, free psychotherapy services for child abuse victims were introduced via ONDE’s helpline, complemented by a digital campaign to raise awareness about school anxiety. The Child Psycho-trauma Mechanism framework trained 1,290 professionals in 2025, a significant increase from 929 in 2024.
ONDE also undertook digital innovations, such as digitizing health records and launching a continental platform for the African child rights network. The Observatory announced “Tofoula,” a new platform to track child rights indicators in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Furthermore, ONDE trained child psychiatry experts in forensic interviewing based on the NICHD protocol and incorporated new educational modules for judges and magistrates focusing on children’s testimonies.
The 17th National Congress, under the effective presidency of Her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Meryem, gathered national and international experts to assess the current situation and formulate strategic recommendations. This initiative aims to enhance national reflection and inspire future child protection programs and public policies towards 2030.
Strengthening children’s participation aligns with His Majesty King Mohammed VI’s vision, amplified by the reformed selection criteria for the Children’s Parliament. This reform ensures more inclusive representation, integrating children elected to class councils, those with special needs, and children from traditional and foreign educational missions.
Internationally, ONDE’s influence was marked by hosting the first African Children’s Parliament Forum in Rabat in November 2025. The summit resulted in seven partnership agreements and the adoption of the “Rabat Declaration” by 28 African countries, establishing the African Child Rights Network and enhancing national frameworks for participation and advocacy.
The annual ONDE partners’ committee meeting concluded with the signing of 10 partnership agreements across various ministries and organizations. These agreements aim to enhance neurodevelopmental disorder interventions, mental health training, statistical data production, integrated child care, and advocacy capabilities. Partnerships were formed with the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Youth, Ministry of Solidarity, High Commission for Planning, National Observatory for Human Development, Entraide Nationale, OCP Foundation, UNICEF Morocco, and the Moroccan Society of Child Psychiatry and Associated Professions.
By pooling expertise with benchmark institutions, ONDE aims to enhance its monitoring and analysis capabilities to anticipate emerging challenges and optimize its initiatives, the press release concluded.