Previous UPR of Morocco under the First, Second, and Third Cycle 5. Morocco was previously reviewed during the 1st, 13th and 27th sessions of the UPR, in 2008, 2012 and 2017 respectively.2 6. In the first cycle, during the 1st session, Morocco received thirteen recommendations, including one recommendation from Slovenia, approved by Morocco, to “communicate to the United Nations Secretary-General the withdrawal of its reservations to CEDAW (article 9, paragraph 2, article 16, paragraph 1 (h), and article 16, paragraph 2, as well as its declaration on article 15, paragraph 4).3 7. In the second cycle, during the 13th session, Morocco accepted 40 recommendations related to gender equality and the rights of women. For example, Canada recommended that Morocco “Put in place the necessary arrangements to implement the new Constitution’s guarantees of equality between men and women, in accordance with its international obligations, including CEDAW’s Article 16 regarding marriage and family life.”4 Morocco’s accepted recommendations include those focused on combating gender-based violence, which is linked with gender discrimination in nationality laws. 8. In the third cycle, during the 27th session, Morocco accepted 60 recommendations related to gender equality and the rights of women, with the state noting that it considered 52 of these recommendations to be in the process of implementation. These recommendations include:5 • Repeal the provision preventing Moroccan women from transmitting nationality to their foreign husband (Congo); • Strengthen the existing legal framework to protect women against all forms of violence and eliminate all discriminatory gender-based legal norms (Chile); • Take all necessary measures to strengthen the fight against domestic violence and sexual violence against women (France); • Continue to put into place practical measures at the local and national levels to ensure gender equality and combat discrimination against women (Singapore); • Amend domestic legislation to remove all forms of gender-based discrimination and protect the rights of women and children (Australia); • Strengthen the legal framework to prevent discrimination and violence against women, in particular domestic violence (Italy); • Strengthen legislation to ensure gender equality, in particular to prevent violence against 2 See Universal Periodic Review – Morocco https://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/UPR/Pages/MAIndex.aspx UN Human Rights Council, 'Report of the Working Group on the Universal Period Review: Morocco A/HRC/8/22 (22 May 2008), para 75.3. https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G08/136/30/PDF/G0813630.pdf?OpenElement 4 UN Human Rights Council, 'Report of the Working Group on the Universal Period Review: Morocco A/HRC/21/3 (6 July 2012), para 129.44. https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G12/150/38/PDF/G1215038.pdf?OpenElement 5 See UN Human Rights Council, 'Report of the Working Group on the Universal Period Review: Morocco, A/HRC/36/6, (13 July 2017), para.144. https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G17/190/71/PDF/G1719071.pdf?OpenElement 3 2