Morocco has officially launched a central unit dedicated to the care and support of women victims of violence. The unit, named the "Cellule centrale de prise en charge des femmes victimes de violence," was inaugurated by the Minister of Solidarity, Social Integration, and the Family, Aawatif Hayar, on April 10, 2026, in Rabat.
This initiative is a key component of the government's national strategy to combat violence against women, known as "Ikram 2." The central unit's primary role is to coordinate and streamline the efforts of various institutional and civil society actors involved in providing medical, psychological, legal, and social support to victims.
The launch follows the adoption of Law 103.13 in 2018, which criminalized acts of violence against women, including harassment, assault, and marital rape. The new unit aims to address implementation gaps by ensuring a unified and effective response system across different regions of the country.
Officials stated that the cell will work to strengthen the referral pathways for victims, improve data collection on gender-based violence, and enhance the training of professionals involved in the support chain. The move has been welcomed by several women's rights associations as a significant step forward in institutionalizing protection mechanisms.
