Morocco and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) signed on Thursday an additional agreement to co-fund the project of observation and data collection system generalization (SOCDM).

The situation of children in rural areas is improving significantly thanks to several national programs aiming at facilitating access to basic social services, said here on Tuesday, Minister of Social Development, Family and Solidarity Nouzha Skalli.

The cooperation with Morocco is "fruitful" and "efficient," Deputy Director in charge of coordination between the national bureaus of the Interpol for the Middle East and Africa said on Monday.

The majority of the recommendations of the Justice and Reconciliation Commission (IER) have been implemented, Chairman of the Advisory Council of Human Rights (CCDH) Ahmed Herzenni said on Thursday.

Morocco will invest 60 billion dirhams ($ 7.5 billion) in low cost housing in 2010-2020 as part of efforts aiming to reduce the deficit to 700,000 units by 2015, Housing minister Ahmed Taoufiq Hejira said on Wednesday.

More than 4.8 million Moroccans have benefited from the National Initiative for Human Development (INDH), launched by HM King Mohammed VI in mid-2005.

Morocco has made "remarkable progress" in the field of human development, Director of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Geneva Cécile Molinier said.

The family of the so-called Aminatou Haidar is leading a normal life in Laayoune contrary to "allegations spread by some Spanish media," said members of a Canarian delegation, on a visit to Morocco's southern provinces, the Sahara.

Moroccan human rights watchdog (CCDH) and UN children's fund (UNICEF) signed on Thursday an agreement on the promotion of children's rights and the setting up of aid mechanisms for abused children.

The instrumentalization of the social gender for separatism and conspiracy is the "most cruel" abuse of all, State Secretary to the Foreign Ministry, Latifa Akharbach, said on Tuesday.

Social Development, Family and Solidarity minister Nouzha Skalli was awarded, Thursday in Rome, the "Minerva Anna Maria Mammoliti" prize (political category) for her commitment to gender mainstreaming and women's empowerment.

Morocco made progress in fighting infant mortality and is "on the right track" to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), UNICEF's representative in Morocco, Aloys Kamuragiye, said on Thursday.