Princely Activities
Wednesday 24 August 2016

Birthday of HRH Princess Lalla Meryem, Unwavering Commitment to Women and Children

Birthday of HRH Princess Lalla Meryem, Unwavering Commitment to Women and Children


The celebration of the birthday of HRH Princess Lalla Meryem is an opportunity to underline the strong commitment of HRH to promote Moroccan women emancipation and defend children’s rights.


This happy event also provides an opportunity to highlight the daily struggle of HRH for the protection of women's empowerment gains and the rehabilitation of children in difficult circumstances.

It is in this context that HRH Princess Lalla Meryem, President of the National Union of Moroccan Women (UNFM), chaired last March a ceremony to celebrate the International women's Day.

On this occasion, HRH Princess Lalla Meryem chaired the signing ceremony of five agreements on women’s integration into the job market, skills’ development, training and support of UNFM’s projects meant to women living in rural areas.

Last December and upon high instructions of HM King Mohammed VI, Supreme Commander and Chief of general Staff of the Royal Armed Forces (FAR), HRH Princess Lalla Meryem, Chairwoman of FAR Social Works, chaired a meeting of the Board of Directors of FAR Social Works.

HRH Princess Lalla Meryem also chaired at the Mohammed V national theater in Rabat the opening of the annual international diplomatic charity bazar, held under the patronage of HM King Mohammed VI.

The annual event aims to fund Moroccan NGOs’ projects in the areas of education, health and the promotion of women living in rural regions.

In Marrakech, HRH Princess Lalla Meryem chaired a dinner hosted by HM King Mohammed VI for guests of the 15th international film festival of Marrakech.

On this occasion, HRH Princess Lalla Meryem granted the Al Kafaa Al Fikria Wissam (intellectual merit medal) to American director and producer Francis Ford Coppola.

In January 2016, HRH Princess Lalla Meryem chaired in Berlin a ceremony organized by Morocco on the occasion of the 81st International Green Week, in which the Kingdom took part as the first non-European partner country (partner-land).

As part of her ongoing commitment to children, HRH Princess Lalla Meryem takes a keen interest in all aspects of children’s welfare, as President of the National Observatory for the Rights of the Child, of the Moroccan association in support of UNICEF and of the Children's Parliament. In this regard, HRH the Princess has taken a particular interest in fighting child abuse and protecting children’s rights.

HRH Princess Lalla Meryem is also Honorary President of several associations working for the benefit of children, including "Bonnes oeuvres du Cœur" and “L’Avenir”.

HRH's social action was given concrete substance through the launch, on a yearly basis, of the national vaccination campaign.

The exceptional career of HRH Princess Lalla Meryem earned her the recognition of many international institutions working for the protection of children’s rights.

At the international level, Her Royal Highness has shown great dynamism and joined several events of social order, giving, in March 2009, her agreement to take the honorary presidency of the Spanish Foundation ESAN for Development and Innovation in southern Europe and North Africa.

In March 2010, the Women World Leaders Association awarded Her Royal Highness the Women World Leaders' Price in her capacity as president of the UNFM.

In the same spirit, HRH Princess Lalla Meryem has received in 2011 The ‘Rita Allamprese’ Mediterranean Award for Children from the Fondazione Mediterraneo for Peace.

MAP 24 August 2016