National Dialogue discusses elimination of all forms of discrimination

CAIRO - 22 May 2023: On May 14, 2023, the Human Rights and Public Freedoms Committee of the National Dialogue held the second session on eliminating all forms of discrimination.

 

The session was attended by Dr. Nevin Massaad, Rapporteur of the Human Rights and Public Freedoms Committee, Mr. Ahmed Ragheb, Assistant Rapporteur of the Committee, Dr. Fatima Khafagi, member of the Board of Trustees of the National Dialogue, and Dr. Muhammad Fayez Farahat, member of the Board of Trustees of the National Dialogue. Representatives of all segments of society, including politicians, parties, organizations, researchers, experts and submitters of proposals. 

 

Participants stressed that all Egyptians are equal before the law and that the state is committed to all relevant agreements that it has signed. 

 

The session shed light on citizens' right to treatment, housing, and not being subjected to physical or psychological abuse. The participants appreciated the state's role in establishing the Human Rights Commission, combating discrimination, and preserving public freedoms.

 

The participants demanded strengthening human rights policies, drafting and revising some legislations, finding solutions to loopholes in some of them, and enforcing constitutional entitlements to combat discrimination. 

They also demanded the enactment of a draft law to establish a commission to prevent discrimination amongst citizens in all aspects of life in Egypt, including sustainable development goals. 

 

The session highlighted that the National Dialogue is not just a platform for opinion, but it seeks to make a shift in policies, legislation, and the constitutional merit of the Commission.

Participants emphasized that the Ministry of Justice is preparing a draft law to combat discrimination and will submit it to the House of Representatives. They demanded the revision of all laws and legislations related to combating discrimination, such as the personal status law and labor laws.

They called for adopting a national program to follow up on all forms of discrimination, raising awareness and working on gender equality and combating gender-based violence, eliminating the centralization of decision-making, raising awareness in schools of this issue, renewing religious discourse and renouncing violence. 

 

The participants also suggested that the Commission should enjoy independence and powers within the limits of the law. It should be  expressing opinions and submitting proposals to work on citizenship and equality, receive complaints from those affected, launch awareness campaigns and include the concept of citizenship and combating discrimination in educational curricula.