Only Six Women in the Constitutional Assembly

(Cairo, March 26, 2012) The Egyptian Center for Women’s Rights (ECWR) and Egyptian women in general are shocked by the nominations for the Constitutional Assembly responsible for preparing a new constitution following Egypt’s revolution. The nominations included six women with a proportion of 6%. This percentage brings to our minds the nominations of the National Democratic Party (NDP) in the 2005 People’s Assembly which also included only six women. It seems that we are going back in time for women’s issues in Egypt by building a new NDP, after the Egyptian revolution dismantled it, striking at the revolution’s goals of equality and justice.
The ECWR wonders if Tunisia’s revolution is an inspiration to the Egyptian people in its revolution. When will Egypt take the steps of progress such as Tunisia through a process that follows a future plan based on citizenship? A progress that supports the role of women in the revolution and through their participation, contributed to the success of the The decree law was issued by the “High Commission for the Realization of Revolutionary Goals, Political Reforms and Democratic Transition” that states “the women’s representation should be a half of the members of the National Constituent Assembly.”
Are Egyptian women worth less than Tunisian women? As Egyptian women were excluded from the appointment of governors, they were also excluded from many of the committees that were formed during and after the revolution. Is the Egyptian revolution poised to reverse the trend of advancements in women’s rights?
The ECWR demands the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, Dr. Kamal El-Ganzoury’s government, the concerned bodies, and the civil powers in Egypt to clearly acknowledge this deliberate exclusion of women at all levels and emphasize all values of democratic principles and human rights.
Furthermore, the ECWR would like to emphasize the unconstitutionality of the Constitutional Assembly in preparing a new constitution because it violates Article 60 of the constitutional declaration.. Article 60 states “The members of the first People’s Assembly and Shura Council (except the appointed members) will meet in a joint session following an invitation from the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces within 6 months of their election to elect a provisional assembly composed of 100 members . . . .” The word “elect” is clearly misinterpreted because it means each assembly member should elect another person and not himself.