On 30 May 2019, the Secretary-General appointed Dr. Najat Maalla M’jid (Morocco) as his Special Representative on Violence against Children. Dr. Maalla M’jid took her position on 1st July 2019.
Dr. M’jid, a medical doctor in pediatrics, has over the last three decades devoted her life to the promotion and protection of children’s rights. She was Head of the Pediatric Department and Director of the Hay Hassani Mother-Child hospital in Casablanca. Dr. M’jid was a member of the Moroccan National Council on Human Rights and founder of the non-governmental organisation Bayti, the first programme addressing the situation of children living and working in the streets of Morocco.
From 2008 to 2014, she served as United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography.
Dr. M’jid also worked as an international expert on developing and monitoring integrated child protection strategies and policies, as well as on social and development policies. She also worked as a lecturer in Moroccan and international universities on child rights protection and monitoring.
As a member of several regional and international non-governmental organizations and networks working for children’s rights, Dr. M’jid was also involved in the training of social workers, law enforcement, teachers, judges, and medical staff. She is the recipient of numerous awards and honors for her strong commitment to protecting children and their rights.
