A/HRC/32/43/Add.1 rights, taking into account environmental sustainability and the fight against discrimination, especially gender-based discrimination. III. Solidarity and development policies 13. The Independent Expert has observed that the principle of solidarity as recognized in several provisions of the 2011 Constitution of Morocco is one of the foundational principles of the country’s efforts to achieve human development and bring government closer to the people through the advanced regionalization process. In this regard, the Constitution, in its preamble, asserts the commitment to develop a society based on solidarity, in which everyone can enjoy security, freedom, equal opportunity, dignity and social justice within the framework of the complementarity of the rights and duties of citizens. Article 136 stipulates that the organization of the territory is based on the principles of self-administration, cooperation and solidarity. These are the principles grounding the process of decentralization, which is aimed at guaranteeing the participation of the population in the management of their local affairs and contributing to an integrated and sustainable human development process. Since 2001, the development policies of Morocco have focused on human development, the promotion of good governance and the active participation of citizens, based on the principles of accountability and transparency. 14. According to the World Bank, the Moroccan economy improved in 2015. The unemployment rate declined to 9.3 per cent, although it remained close to 40 per cent and 20 per cent among the urban young and educated, respectively. The 2015 national report on the Millennium Development Goals notes that the agriculture, construction and service sectors, which comprised 69.2 per cent of total gross domestic product (GDP), continued to be the key drivers of the national economy. These sectors are largely dominated by informal and low-productivity activities, yet they are the main markers of the employment structure. The amount of the State budget allocated to social sectors increased from 41 per cent to 55 per cent between 1999 and 2014, with an average proportion of 5.2 per cent devoted to the health sector and 25 per cent to education.4 The report further underscores that the overall improvement in living standards and the reduction of social inequality have contributed to a significant reduction of poverty and vulnerability, while extreme poverty has been almost eradicated. The absolute poverty rate today is not statistically significant at the national level, is insignificant in urban areas and has dropped to 8.9 per cent in rural areas. However, vulnerability to poverty remains stable, despite a sharp decline in rural areas, from 30 per cent to 18 per cent.5 15. The Government’s 2012-2016 programme has been structured around five mutually reinforcing pillars, including: (a) deepening national identity, preserving social cohesion and diversity, and openness; (b) consolidating the rule of law and strengthening good governance, democratic participation and the advancement of regionalization and decentralization, in the context of accountability and true citizenship; (c) pursuing strong, competitive, multisectoral, diversified, wealth- and employment-generating and equitable economic growth; (d) promoting social programmes that guarantee equitable access to basic services and strengthening solidarity and equal opportunities among citizens, and across 4 5 6 See “Morocco between Millennium Development Goals and Sustainable Development Goals: Achievements and Challenges – National Report 2015”, p. 10. Ibid, p. 15-16.