A statement from the Moroccan royal office announced that King Mohammed VI granted the title of "Wards of the Nation" to this category of individuals affected by the aforementioned natural disaster, calling for their registration and immediate care. Moroccan law provides several benefits to those termed "Wards of the Nation," including education, healthcare, and priority in public jobs, as it is a title given to special cases under specific circumstances.
According to the royal decree issued in 1999 to implement the law regarding Wards of the Nation, the title is granted to Moroccan children whose father or primary supporter has been "killed in Morocco or abroad as a result of his participation in defending the territory of the kingdom or during his duties in maintaining peace or humanitarian operations ordered by the Supreme Commander and Chief of Staff of the Royal Armed Forces," or "killed as a result of wounds or illnesses he suffered or that exacerbated due to these events, or became physically incapable of fulfilling his family responsibilities due to the same events," or "missing, if it is determined from the circumstances of this disappearance and the period it relates to, that he was martyred for the sake of the homeland."
Under the law, "children recognized as Wards of the Nation are entitled to moral care and material assistance until they reach adulthood or discontinue their studies, and they are granted the right to services that can be provided to them by the Hassan II Foundation for Social Works of Former Military Personnel and Veterans."
The royal decree states that "if the Wards of the Nation do not have resources to meet their needs or if those legally obliged to support them are unable to do so, the state, as appropriate, will cover all or some of the expenses related to maintenance, health, vocational training, and necessary education for their normal growth."
The decree further affirms that "Wards of the Nation may receive an annual total allowance for their maintenance, the amount and conditions of which will be determined by regulatory text until they reach adulthood, get married, or discontinue their studies if they do not have an income equal to or greater than the basic salary of the implemented indicative number 100 applicable in public service."
Additionally, "Wards of the Nation are accepted to benefit from free medical and surgical treatments and care in civil and military health facilities under state oversight," according to the law. Among the privileges granted to them is that they "are accepted with priority into primary institutions and enjoy priority in scholarship grants if they are pursuing secondary or higher education, as well as concerning public or private vocational training institutions."
Moreover, "Wards of the Nation enjoy, according to the conditions specified in a regulatory text, priority for entering public service positions in state administrations, public institutions, and municipalities, as well as for participating in entrance examinations for colleges and major national schools."
