Rights groups warn Morocco’s cold wave exposes gaps in protection for homeless and mountain communities

Moroccan human rights activists are warning that the country’s severe cold wave, marked by heavy snowfall and rain, is testing the effectiveness of public policies and the state’s ability to protect vulnerable groups, especially homeless people and residents of mountainous regions.

They cautioned that the lack of a proactive and sustainable approach could have serious health consequences for those most at risk.

Abdelilah El Khadri, president of the Moroccan Center for Human Rights, said the cold wave and the sharp drop in temperatures particularly affect people living in mountainous areas and those without shelter.

He told Hespress that government response has been “temporary and fragmented,” and lacks effectiveness because cold waves are no longer a seasonal weather event but have become a humanitarian emergency that threatens the right to life and physical safety.

“The situation exposes the fragility of social public policies, especially due to the absence of preventive and sustainable measures that consider the most vulnerable groups,” he said, stressing that the state has a constitutional and international obligation to provide immediate protection.

El Khadri urged authorities to adopt a long-term strategy that goes beyond limited seasonal interventions by establishing adequate, equipped shelters and implementing coordinated emergency plans involving the Interior Ministry, Health Ministry, social solidarity services, and local authorities.

He also called for integrating cold wave response into broader social justice and territorial policies, using tools such as the unified social registry to protect vulnerable people both inside and outside their homes.

“The state must treat cold waves as a social and humanitarian emergency,” he said. “This requires immediate, decent shelter, health and psychological support, and preventive measures that guarantee dignity instead of only managing crises after they occur.”

Idris Seddarawi, president of the Moroccan Association for Citizenship and Human Rights, echoed the call for a different policy approach.

He said the cold wave poses a real threat to the lives and health of homeless people and criticized the government’s reliance on temporary charity-based measures, saying they cannot replace legal responsibilities.

“Protecting homeless people is not just social solidarity; it is a legal and constitutional obligation,” he told Hespress. “The rights to life, human dignity and social protection are fundamental and cannot be divided or suspended, especially during climate emergencies.”

Seddarawi reminded that Morocco has ratified international agreements, including the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which obliges the state to adopt permanent, integrated and proactive policies.

He called for a national public policy to protect homeless people based on a rights-based approach, including permanent and dignified shelters, health care, psychological support, and social reintegration, rather than temporary campaigns tied to cold weather.

“Homeless people are not objects of charity; they are full rights-holders,” he said. “Any failure to protect them is a clear breach of Morocco’s international commitments and the principles of a rule-of-law state.”

He also urged the creation of a binding institutional coordination mechanism between government sectors and local authorities, with clear responsibilities and accountability tools.