Big Participation from The Egyptian Women in the Referendum on the Constitution

Cairo 14 of January 2014

Second Press Report
Big Participation from The Egyptian Women in the Referendum on the Constitution
During the first day, The ECWR’s operations room follows up the Referendum on the Constitution from a gender perspective. During the first day of voting, ECWR received many complaints and violations as follows:
1) Administrative and Organizational Mistakes:
Observers monitored complaints of overcrowding from different voters (Youth, men, Women, elderly people) in the polling stations for expats, few numbers of staff, and departure of voters due to wait for long time in many governorates. The violations were as follows:
• Assiut Governorate, Khadiga Bent Khowild, polling station No 62 is the only expats polling stations.
• Also the expats Egyptians from the Gulf countries have no right to vote in the expats polling stations even if they lived in Egypt from a year and a half.
• Alexandria governorate, expats polling stations, Al Za’aim Gamal Abdel Nasser Military Secondary for Boys School
• Alexandria governorate, Sidi Gaber Constituency, Cleopatra School, polling stations (women) no 103 & 104; there was no numbers on the polling stations’ doors which confused the female voter and was difficult to reach to their polling stations.
• Sharqaya governorate, second Constituency, Zakazek town, more than 100 women didn’t find their names in the lists of voters in polling station no 104, Bisha Preparatory school, although they obtained their information from the website of the High Commission of Elections

2) Instructing the Voters:
Women were instructed by some women from outside the polling stations and some employees inside the polling stations as follows:
• Aswan governorate, Abdel Malek School, second constituency Aswan city, five women instructed women to vote (No) in front of polling stations no 44, 45, 46, 47.
• Sharqaya governorate, 1st constituency, Zakazek town, polling station no 123, Al Bardein Preparatory School, the female employee inside the polling station instructed voters to vote (No) which lead voters to insist to requesting getting her out of the polling station. There were also violations’ incidents in the square of Zakazik city to intimidate voters and prevent them to cast their votes.
• Sharqaya governorate, Minya El-Qamh constituency, Shalshalmoon Secondary School for Boys School, polling stations no 218 & 219. Voters were instructed by a citizen outside the polling station and he was expelled by the security.
• Suez governorate, Kaprit area constituency, Shaheid Abo Zeid School, an employee instructed female voters through marking on (No) instead of (Yes) because they are illiterate women and they filed a report by women.
• Suez governorate, Youth Center of the Town , polling station no 90, there was forgery incident by an employee inside the polling station by mark (No) instead of (Yes) that’s because they were illiterate women and the security dealt with him and he expelled from the polling station.

Preventing Voters:
Threatened messages were sent to christen people to prevent them from casting their votes as follows:
• Menya governorate, Beni Mazar, a report was filed from ‘Email Aziz’ with report no 894 administrative Bani Mazar.
• Sharqaya governorate, 3rd constituency, Hehya, some opponents of constitution closed the road but the security dealt with them and opened it after the people informed them ( it is worth mentioned that it is the birthplace of Mohamad Morsi)
Collective Vote:
• Sharqaya governorate, collective vote in Zakazik Industrial technical School for Girls, polling station no 42.

Lobbing Female Voters:
There was lobby for female voters in number of governorates as follows:
• Qena governorate, Garagos constituency, the Conference Party lobbied the voters through bus (no 4102) to vote Yes.
• Suez governorate, outside the polling stations for expats, Future of a Nation movement in the governorate lobbied voters and instructed them to vote (Yes).

Logistical Facilitation:
The turnout of voters was very good at all polling stations especially for women polling stations and the polling stations were opened on time and the voting process was going easily as follows:
• Giza governorate, Warrak constituency, Shorok school, Fatma El- Zaharra School, Abdallah Ben Rawaha’a School.
• Alexandria governorate, Sidi Gaber constituency, Teba School, polling station no 111 & 112. There is discipline all most of the polling stations.

ECWR’s operations room continues its following up of the referendum

Contacts:
ECWR’s operations room phone numbers
25282178 /02 – 25282175 /02 (landline):
01099971723 (hotline)
01003447999 – 01285921695 – 01225581357Mobile numbers:
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