(Cairo, 22 April 2012 )
ECWR demands for the principal of citizenship to be upheld by ensuring the representation of women not less than 30% in the Constitutional Assembly.
Furthermore, we express our deep concern for the lack of representation of women in the People’s Assembly and Shura Council, which had a direct effect on significantly low representation of women in the Constitutional Assembly accounting
for only 6% female representatives prior it was disbanded by the Administrative Court.
Moreover, some of the women representatives out of the very few present were openly hostile to the cause of gender equality, which has negatively affected the women’s rights efforts further.
The low presence of women representatives is inconsistent with the principles of citizenship and equality enshrined in the Article 7 of the Constitutional Declaration which provides:
“Law applies equally to all citizens, and they are equal in rights and general duties.
They may not be discriminated against due to race, origin, language, religion, or creed.”
The principle of equality has been recognized by the members of the People’s Assembly and the Shura Council as they swore to uphold the principles of democracy and citizenship, and preserve the rights of the people who elected them.
In light of thing, ECWR demands that the SCAF as well as the People’s Assembly and the Shura Council members do the following:
- Uphold the principle of citizenship through which women are represented equally in all stages of shaping of Egypt’s future, as their rightful role seen in the revolution’s squares.
- Realize the critical mass of not let than 30% in the Constitutional Assembly.
- Emphasize on qualifications standards throughout the selection process, calling for presence of women from diverse background that have exhibited dedication to the cause of women’s rights in diverse areas such as science and the legal profession.
ECWR emphasizes firstly the importance of combining qualitative and equal
representation in the current transition project to enable this project to become a real
renaissance for Egypt and secondly that the omission of equal participation of
women brings us back to square one.
