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31 July 2010

Espace Associatif en fr es pt

Africa > Morocco

Contact
address	55 Rue Melouiya Apt N° 1 Agdal Rabat Maroc
telephone	00 212 37 77 43 41
fax	00 212 37 77 41 83
e-mail	info@espace-associatif.ma
website	http://

The Associative Space created in 1996 is a non govermental organization promoting associations for democratic development. He is mostly dedicated to action, not directly on the field but mostly promoting services for associations being a real vector and multiplier for democratic development associative actions. Its action aims, on one hand, to develop the associations frame skills and capacities and on the other hand, to improve their action environment. It assures to listen to the associativ...

Joint position papers signed by the platform

Platform's position papers

Presentation

Legal status :	1958 Law Association
Acronym :	EAM
Date of creation :	0000-00-00
Number of members :	83
The Associative Space created in 1996 is a non govermental organization promoting associations for democratic development. He is mostly dedicated to action, not directly on the field but mostly promoting services for associations being a real vector and multiplier for democratic development associative actions. Its action aims, on one hand, to develop the associations frame skills and capacities and on the other hand, to improve their action environment. It assures to listen to the associative world and civil society, and suggests acting where it is necessary, sometimes alone but mostly in partnership, which is the heart of associative action for them.

Nature and description of services for members

Communication / Information	Documentation Center on Line, bulletins, publications
Training	Not exclusively to members, project managing
Partners
Logistic support	sometimes rooms available
Strengthening members' potential	Meetings for exchanging and thinking on various issues : law, gender, participation, child law
Legal counsel	Creation and status
Representative activities of the NGOs	Advocacy concerning associative problems and questionings
Supporting Human Resource Management	By exchanging experiences, the Espace Associatif develops an asociative human resource system also useful for his members
Others

Budget and funds

Annual budget :	in national currency : 12610734,78 " in euros : 1 146 430,43 €
Comment :
Source of funds
Total amount of annual membership fees for an NGO :
Partners:	0,07 %
Percentage of government aid :	National : 15 % International : 1 %
Other source of funds (international NGOs, private partners, others) :	83,69 %

Percentage of membership fees in the total budget

Board of Directors Contact Information

Surame Name E-mail e-mail	Post	Source institution	telephone
ELHASNAOUI Anas anas.elhasnaoui@ccme.org.ma	President
HITOUS Abdallah abdamazigh@hotmail.com	Vice President	Tamaynut
SADOUK Khadija sadoukkhadija@yahoo.fr	Treasurer	AMDH
ZIRARI Hayat hzirari@yahoo.fr	Vice Teasurer	Association Marocaine Contre la Violence à l'Egard des Femmes
MONJIB Maati mmonjib@yahoo.fr	Adviser
BENKHOUYA Merieme merieme.benkhouya@tgr.gov.ma	Human Resources Committee	OMDH
ASSINI Abdellatif assini_abdellatif@yahoo.fr	Human Resources COmmittee	Association Marocain d'Education Culturelle
BOUKHRISS Faouzi atmdpe@yahoo.fr	Human Resources Committee	Troisième Millénaire
KABOU Lahbib lahbib1960@yahoo.fr	Human Resources Committee	CJM
OUASS Ahmed anebdu@yahoo.fr	Human Resources Committee	Tanukra
OUDGHIRI Ilham Ipdf2@yahoo.fr	Financial Committee	Initiatives pour la Protection des Droits des Femmes
CHAFIAI Abdelhakim abdelhakim.chafiai@gmail.com	Financial Committee	APTE
MAKHON Othmane omakhon@gmail.com	Financial Committee
SADKI Ali alisadki@yahoo.fr	Financial Committee	Transparency
SEHOUATE Ahmed sehouate@yahoo.fr	Financial Committee
ALAOUI Malika mme_alaoui@yahoo.fr	Member	Comité de Soutien à la Scolarisation des Filles rurales
ALMALLALI Loubna loubna200535@yahoo.fr	Member	Association Awsat pour le Développement et la Culture
BENWAKRIM Naima nbenwakrim@gmail.com	Member
BOUNFOUR Malika mbounfour@yahoo.com	Member	UAF
MACHRAFI FatimZahra machrafif@yahoo.fr	Member	Union de l'Action Féminine
MAROUAZI Khadija kamarouazi@yahoo.com	Member
YAMLAHI Khadija yamlahi_khadija@yahoo.fr	Member	Forum de la famille
AJARRAR Mohamed m.ajarar@yahoo.fr	Member	Azetta
AOUSSAR Faissal badesasso@menara,ma	Member	Association Badis
BAROUDI Abdelmajid barou1000@yahoo.com	Member
BEALGHOUD Ali asphand01@yahoo.fr	Member	Assocaition Taazor pour les personnes handicapées
BELKOH Mohamed atmdpe@yahoo.fr	Member	Troisième Millénaire
BENKIRANE Saad sbenkirane@idoine-maroc.com	Member
Chafiq Mohamed chafiq123@hotmail.com	Member
ELMILOUDI Elkabir elkabirgma@yahoo.fr	Member	Azetta
MECHTI Nourdine Nourmechti2000@yahoo.fr	Member	Association Twiza
SAYOUTY Hassan hassayout@caramail.com	Member	ISSIL

Human Resources Contact Information

Surame Name E-mail e-mail	Post Field(s) of interest (subjects, geographical location…)	Salaried or volunteer
El Ghissassi Fadila	Director	Salary
Delsa Nadia	Director Assistant	Salary
Tbel Said	Support Departement Responsable	Salary
El Gazi Abdelouahed	Mobilization and Advocacy Departement Responsable	Salary
Fettah Karima	Project Officer	Salary
Belkoh Khalid	Departement of Training Coordination and Thinking Responsable	Salary
Otmani Tahira	Administrative and Financial Responsable	Salary
Ben hsain Aicha	Communication Responsable	Salary
Sbihi Issam	System and Network Responsable	Salary

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History and tasks of the ngo national platform

Please describe the important factors connected to the creation of your NPF

The NPF was created at the time of a social crisis unknown until then. Basing itself on the World Bank report in 1994, as said the King Hassan II, Morroco was going to have a heart attack.

This report had underlined the alarming situation in the economic and social matter by putting particularly the finger on education, health, illiteracy and governance.
This report comforts a certain number of economic policy actors and the civil society in their various diagnoses and criticizes the economic and social policy choices took by Morocco.

Two years later and in the same climate Morocco will see the beginning of a consensual process between the royal institution and its opponents. This process led in 1997, after 40 years, to the opponent participation inside of the government.

At the same time and as a result of what preceded, Morocco opened itself and regained certain freedom spaces in particular for constituting associations.
Associations were growing, always with central concerns of guarantee and respect: for fundamental human rights, liberties, equality and democracy.

Helped in its development by the massive arrival of the international financing and NGOs on one hand, and filling the space caused by the State retreat in vital sectors (health, education, access to water and electricity, lacking road infrastructures, etc.) on the other hand, this movement was also going to evolve in terms of internal governance and impact on target community actions.

A core of associations carrying sustainable development and democratic concerns, considered convenient the creation of a companion development structure, between the network and the federation of associations, as a mission to promote the associative fabric of democratic development.

And so was created the Associative Space which built foundations and basic convictions:
• The vital role of the civil society and its efforts for the development of associations in Morocco,
• Human rights and democratic principles in order to consolidate the civil society role and the consecration of these values and principles within associations,
•Importance of common action of civil associations for democratic development, institutionalization, rule of law sovereignty, Human rights, social and economic justice and equality between men and women,
• Fundamental principles for civil action: transparency, good management, rationalism, modernity, equality between men and women, pluralism and diversity, cultural and linguistic diversity of the Moroccan society, State civil organizations and political parties autonomy, respect for the current standards in management for association internal business by applying the rules of democracy and the alternation of responsibilities.

Please describe the significant growth of your NPF

As a federative structure of several associations belonging to various sectors (human rights, gender, local development, youth, environment, persons in difficulty, etc.) the main evolutions which has known the Associative Space concerned the formalization of its mission, the clarification of its stand and the professionalization of its interventions.

So while staying on its basic mission to know, reinforcement and promotion of democratic development associations, and by protecting the main part of its criterias of intervention: advocacy, thinking, training and networking, the Associative Space put itself into association dispositions instead of acting on their place. It defined its intervention, there where he can bring an added value in association actions by investing new fields for the associative action, knowledge and synergy creation. It so contributed to the emergence of a new culture of organization and action based on knowledge and skill, broadcasting of values, and collective construction by creating sector-based networks or regional poles.

The Associative Space knows during these evolutions periods the strategic choices, in particular between an position-standing approach on social and political questions concerning democratic development and helping associations, by leaving the members freedom, each within their framework domain and according to their convictions and declaring their own opinions.

The reinforcement of this second choice eased another organizational evolution by the creation of a Administration Board determining the policies, orientations and an Administrative Office in charge of the execution of orientations and institution management.

From the creation date, passing to thirty associations and physical members, to almost a hundred today, the Associative Space certainly has known an evolution of its membership, but the number would have probably doubled or tripled if the membership conditions were less demanding than they are today. Thinking about membership in the Space is a construction for a possible reorientation, not necessarily in a quantitative way.

What are the strong points of your NPF?

- A position-standing refocused on the mission
- An avant-gardist institutional organization according to the context based on a separation between policy and management
- The political and sector-based variety of his members
- Put into service the associative action of democratic development, by basing itself on law, participation and gender approaches
- Associations mobilization capacity
- Thoughts on the associative domain
- Political neutrality

What are the weaknesses and points to be improved?

Concerning the strategic matter, there is a need of:
• updating stakes and challenges understanding for associations and the national, regional and international level.
• strengthen capacity-building and coordination strategies between actors and reinforcing the capacities orientation of the decision-making authorities.
• joining intra national dynamics and between the national and international level

- Concerning the organizational issue:
• raising founds strategy levying to be developed;
• management system of voluntary Human Resources to develop;
• special attention on associative actions to be developed.
• organization model to be strengthened through out alternative authorities of decision.

Missions of the NGO national platform

What services does your NPF offer its members?

The Associative Space missions are to develop associations in Morocco. Its methods of work concern especially training, information, institutional and legal support for associations working on democratic development in Morocco, as well as on coordination of these associations between them.
The AS is not at its members service, it is in the service of associative actions helped by its members and other associations.

Does your NPF take a stand with respect to government policies, regional or international institutions?

The AS takes position when association interests are at stake. It also contributes to give a purpose to associative actions on themes and questions requiring a stand position: support at national level for women’s integration in development in 2002, fight against corruption, reform of association laws, financing associations by public authorities, associative participation in local management, the report implemented on the Child Rights Convention, the parallel report on the MDGs
Advocacy, communication campaign...

How are its stands elaborated and adopted?

On its own initiative, (a point which appears mostly in its strategy) one of its members or another associative actor for democratic development, the AS begins a process, starting with a reflection on a question and asks if necessary for expertise. Then begins a phase of dialogue at national and regional levels, involving a maximum of associations. According to the results of these dialogues and by basing itself on experts opinion, a follow-up committee is created for the elaboration way of questioning public authorities and for implementing a advocacy campaign which will follow. Advocacy campaigns are made by sending a memorandum, meetings with the concerned persons in charge: Ministers, members of parliament, etc., communication and mobilization of associations around clear positions.
This process is followed internally by joint teams: an administrative office and volunteers.

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Functioning and governing of the NGO national platform

What is the legal status of your NPF? Is it registered or declared with the authorities? What laws govern NGO activities in your country? Are there different laws for different kind of organizations? (NGO, association, union, collective group, etc) Specify in 10 lines

Law governing associations enacted in 1958 and amended in 2002 following the campaign initiated by Espace associatif.

Internal rules and ethics

Does your NPF have internal rules?
oui

Does your NPF have code of ethics or other similar documents?
oui

Have you changed the code of ethics or internal rules in the last 5 years?
oui

If yes, what are they?

Yes, use of the internal rules regarding the role of permanent commissions and delegations of signature.

What are the conditions for membership in your NPF?

- Having existed as an association for at least 2 years (a member on half of an association can become later a member as a physical person)
- Subscribe to the EA charter
- To be sponsored by 2 members
- Advice of the membership application committee.

Do you have international institutions as members (associations, NGO movements)?
non

How do the members receive information about the activities of your NPF and its members (letters, e-mails, meetings, Web site, Intranet …) ?

- Site, Intranet, E-mails and snail mail and monthly information newsletters, meetings of the bodies.

Governing of the ngo platform

How are the Administrative Board members elected? What are their duties? (Drawing up strategic perspectives, follow-up of activities and budget…)? Specify.

Article 9 of the AS statutes : the Board

1- Composition :

The members of the Board are elected by the ordinary General Assembly, their number varies from 21 to 31 members, as long as the number of women is no less than a third of the total number, and as long as the number o physical persons doesn’t exceed a third of members.

2- Office, Renewal of term, Missions :

• The period of Board members mission is limited to 2 years. One third of the Board is renewed each year. Members carry out their duties with no salary, and Espace associatif covers the expenses linked to exercising the duties prescribed to its members.
• The Board elects among its members a Chair person, and a Presidium composed of 5 members at the most, among whom the Chairman, Vice-Chair, Treasurer and vice-Treasurer.

3- Meetings:

The Board meets regularly at least 3 times a year according to an agenda agreed upon by members of the Board, or whenever it seems necessary. The Board may also meet upon request of the Presidium or upon request of at least a third of its members.

4- Deliberations of the Board :

The Board meets legally when at least half of its members plus one are present. Decisions are taken by a majority of present members. The Boards decisions are considered as mandatory (and binding) for all members. Each Board member who has been absent at the meetings held three consecutive times, with no valid excuse, is considered as withdrawn.

5- Prerogatives :

The Board has all necessary prerogatives to ensure a good functioning of Espace associatif in accordance to the mission, statutes, principles and directions determined by the General Assembly. It is mainly in charge of :

• Electing the presidium.
• Forming the 2 permanent committees : the Audit & Financial monitoring Committee and the Human Resources & Organization Committee.
• Forming provisory functional committees when necessary.
• Approving action plans and monitoring their implementation and results.
• Monitoring the compliance of Espace associatif’s general functioning with the directions determined by the General Assembly.
• Monitoring the functioning of Espace associatif with the two permanent Committees.
• Approving the financial reports and audit.
• Appointing and dismissing the Executive Director according to Labor Law, professional rules and principles and prevailing laws.
• Approving appointments and dismissals upon grounded proposal by the Executive Director.

What are the functions of the General Body? Specify.

Article 8 of the EA Statutes : the General Assembly

1- Composition :

The General Assembly is composed of all fully-fledged members or having paid their dues until the day the call for the Assembly was launched. Honorary members can attend General Assemblies on a consultative basis.
The General Assembly is held when the quorum has been reached, that is, when at least one half of the General Assembly’s members convene.
When the quorum is not reached, a new General Assembly is called, for which no quorum will be requested, to deliberate the same agenda, within 10 to 45 days.

2- Meetings :

The Ordinary General Assembly is held once a year upon convocation by the Board. Extraordinary General Assembly may however be held, either upon the Board’s initiative, or upon written request presented by one third of members to the Board Chair. In the latter case, the General Assembly is held within 3 to 5 weeks from the day the request was expressed.
In case the Board is powerless, one third of members can take the initiative to call a General Assembly of Espace associatif.
The General Assembly is held at Espace associatif’s headquarters or at another place indicated by the Board.

3- Prerogatives, Agendas and Convocations :

The General Assembly is the highest decision authority in matters related to:

• Drafting and amending statutes, charters, plans, programs and directions
• Managing Espace associatif and its finances
• Electing Board members

Agendas and decision drafts to be exposed to the General Assembly are developed by the party which took the initiative to convene the meeting. The General Assembly may only discuss matters on the agenda approved at the beginning of the meeting, which clearly indicated the items on the agenda suggested by whichever party took the initiative to convene the General Assembly.
The Statutes determines the detailed terms of convening a meeting.

4- Deliberations of the General Assembly

Each member present at the General Assembly has only one voice. Decisions taken by the General Assembly are mandatory (and binding) for all members.

Are there other governing bodies in your NPF?
oui

If yes, what are their functions?

- Administrative office, responsible and accountable to the Board regarding management results.
- Permanent Committees : Audit & Finances + Human Resources & Organization, which counsel the Board.
- “CAPs” (project support units), a form of working group composed of volunteers and staff to carry out projects.
- Currently contemplated: implementation of a mediator.

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Relationship with the members

How many members are there in your NPF?

83 members of which 80% are legal entities, associations or groups of associations, and 10% physical persons.

Do you have work groups or thematic commissions?
oui

If yes, on what themes do they work?

- Social and economic rights
- Gender
- Education
- Participation of associations to community management
- Communication and information systems
- Freedom of association
- Indicators of Moroccan civil society
- INDH (National initiative for human development) and qualifying associations
- Development of an associative projects management scheme which incorporates gender, participation and rights-based approaches.

Do you assess the expectations or needs of your members?
oui

If yes, what are they?

- Surveys and availability to organize collective assessment pedagogical days.

Relation with sponsors

Does your government provide reinforcement policies for NGOs?

Does your government provide reinforcement policies for NGOs?

You can’t really call it a policy. It’s more like occasional programs, sometimes dictated by short-term needs and according to goals and expectations that often do not converge. It is the case, for instance, with the INDH (National initiative for human development) or with some capacity building programs in specific sectors, and to which Espace associatif has contributed, such as capacity building of associations of people with special needs, incorporating gender-based approaches in community development associations.
A program to qualify associations, run by the Department of Development and Solidarity, is currently being created.

Is there a specific financial system to reinforce the NGOs in your country (example: funds, special donations)? - If yes, what kind of capabilities do they support? What are the strengths and weaknesses of these funds? - Else, how does the NGO fund its capability-reinforcement program (staff training, research, strategic plans, organizational diagnosis…)?

Associations demand a public funding of associations, the creation of an advantageous fiscal (tax) status beyond public utility organizations, and transparent criteria for allowing grants.

Who are your sponsors? For each sponsor, specify the project you are working on and the duration.

See question on the missions : next to each project you find the name of its sponsor. Sponsorship is not limited to funding, it also includes exchanging experiences and expertise.

How would you summarize your relation with the sponsors (easy/difficult access or communication problem of co-financing, flexibility or not, project pace, evaluation, unsuitable problems, financing of the general expenses of the establishment…)?

- Difficulty in negotiating budgets for the association’s daily functioning.
- Communication language of foreign partners.
- Significant staff turn-over in some sponsor organizations, which impacts on the project, making its continuity more complicated.
- Restrictions in terms of geographic or thematic areas in the projects presented.
- Lack of knowledge related to local context.
- Limitations of project-based financing, which does not always take into account local reality and the partners’ working strategies.
- Financial and accounting procedures that are not standardized among sponsors, which causes overload of work for local associations.
Despite all this, the assessment remains and evolves globally in a positive manner.

Relation with other associations, ngos

Do you work with international NGOs, international networks, and national NGO platforms from countries other than yours?
oui

If yes, please specify the names and the nature of relations

Partnerships

Are there other NPFs or national NGO networks in your country?
oui

If yes, what are they?

Espace Associatif is a member of many networks such as ANND (Arab Network of NGOs for Development), Social Watch, REMEDH (Gathering of Messengers of Hope for the Defense of Human Rights), World Social Forum, African Social Forum and Moroccan Social Forum, Euro-Med Non-Governmental Platform, GCAP…
We cannot give a comprehensive list of all platforms : Public liberties associative watch, Elections watch, Euro-Med Civil Forum in Morocco, ANARUZ network, Moroccan Civil Forum…

Do you work with these NPFs and/or national NGO networks?

Other remarks on your ngo national platform

Legal framework is not available

Morocco

Capital: Rabat

Population: 34,343,220 (July 2008 est.)

Area: 446,550 sq km

Platform's News *

Rencontre régionale des associations de l’Oriental

28 février 2009, Espace Associatif a organisé le 28 février 2009, en partenariat avec l’Agence de Développement Social (ADS), la 1ère Rencontre Régionale des associations de la région de l’Oriental sur le thème : « Appui à l’émergence et la structuration d’une dynamique associative de développement local et régional : Quelles perspectives communes de travail ? »

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Platform's News *

Rencontre régionale des associations de l’Oriental