Moroccan Court Blocks Mother’s Travel with Child, Citing COVID-19 Health Risks

In her assessment, the judge of the summary proceedings of the court of first instance of Rabat explained that the child would be exposed to serious risks, reports Assabah. She explains that the right to life and the right to health are considered as fundamental rights for any child. According to her, authorizing the woman to travel in the current conditions, threatens the life of the child and deprives him of his most basic rights. To support her argument, the judge refers to the role of justice in the protection of children’s rights in general and of the child subject to custody in particular.

Furthermore, she recalled the best interests of the child. She thus referred to the laws governing child protection in Morocco as well as to Article 12 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. The kingdom had approved this pact which recognizes the right of everyone to enjoy the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health and to be protected from epidemics, endemic, occupational and other diseases.