Supervisor Elham AbolFateh
Editor in Chief Mohamed Wadie

Arab & Int'l Organizations Welcome Launch of Egyptian Strategy for Human Rights


Tue 21 Sep 2021 | 07:54 PM
H-Tayea

On Tuesday, a big number of Arab and international organizations welcomed the launch of Egyptian strategy for human rights and general declaration of 2020 of civil society,

In a joint statement, they said that the strategy aims to spread the culture of human rights at work based on the United Nations strategy and supporting the steps and policies of countries seeking to advance the strengthening of the human rights and democracy system, respecting their international commitments to international law and dedicating their commitment to regional and international legislation and mechanisms.

The undersigned organizations and platforms have followed with interest Egypt's launch of the national strategy for human rights and the pledges it included from the Egyptian state to enhance the human rights situation and the positive steps it is taking in the field of legislative, organizational and institutional construction aimed at enhancing Egypt's respect and commitment to human rights. This strengthens the partnership between the state and civil society institutions.

Developing and implementing national strategies that contribute to upholding human rights values and principles in Egypt in terms of strengthening legislation related to political empowerment of women, youth and people with special needs, observing children's rights, achieving their best interests, developing the path of democratic development, and protecting freedom of opinion and expression, freedom of worship and the implementation of the requirements of the United Nations plan to achieve sustainable development 2030 in a way that achieves development and prosperity in Egypt.

The undersigned organizations and platforms welcome the Egyptian state's steps towards achieving equality and empowering women. In the 2021 elections, women won 128 seats in Parliament, at a rate of 28%. In fact, Egyptian women became judges and ministers, with a total of eight women ministers in the current government, at a rate of close to 25%, in addition to women being equal to men in remuneration without discrimination on the basis of gender.

As well as the state's interest in preparing capable young personnel through the establishment of the "National Youth Training Academy", youth participation in the formulation and implementation of development plans and appointing some of them as deputy ministers, governors and representatives in the Parliament.

This is achieved through the rehabilitation programs that the Academy takes to reduce their skills and preparation.

What Egypt has achieved is within the framework of strengthening its commitment to human rights over the past years deserves international praise and appreciation, especially with regard to strengthening its international obligations, its close cooperation with United Nations organizations and mechanisms, developing human rights legislation, promoting and empowering women, ensuring freedom of opinion and expression, respecting religious and cultural freedoms, and ensuring Fair trials with international standards.

The undersigned organizations and platforms value that the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi's has announced to allocate 2022 as a civil society year, which reflects the openness of the Egyptian state to constructive cooperation with civil society organizations, and to build on the state of consultation and dialogue between the Permanent Supreme Committee for Human Rights and human rights organizations for over a year. It has resulted in that strategy, which can be built upon to achieve the hopes and aspirations of the Egyptian people.

The undersigned organizations welcome what the Egyptian vision for human rights has concluded by setting a number of basic principles, the most prominent of which are: The Egyptian state's interest in the close link between democracy and human rights.

In addition to its commitment to achieving a balance between rights and duties in national legislation and the need to combat corruption to ensure the enjoyment of rights and freedoms. Announcing its commitment to safeguarding rights and freedoms and enhancing their respect through legislation and public policies and respect for the Egyptian Constitution, its articles have established the principles of citizenship, justice and equality in rights and duties without any discrimination and making equal opportunities a basis for building society.

Ensuring the independence of the judiciary as the main means of redress that guarantees the effective implementation of all rights and the promotion and respect of human rights.

The Egyptian state declares its commitment to respect and protect the right to physical integrity and personal integrity, political practice, freedom of expression and the formation of civil associations and the right to litigation.

The state builds freedom of thought, creativity and expression. It works to promote the values of citizenship, tolerance and dialogue, and to combat incitement to violence and discrimination.

The state announces its partnership with civil society in the process of promoting and protecting human rights in all its political, economic and social dimensions, spreading awareness of human rights in society, encouraging a culture of volunteer work and contributing to efforts to combat extremism.

The state pays special attention to social protection measures when implementing the economic reform program with the aim of mitigating its impact on low-income and needy groups through the adoption of many policies, programs and initiatives, most notably the "Solidarity and Dignity" initiative and the "Dignified Life" initiative for developing the villages of the Egyptian countryside, which is inhabited by more than half of Egypt's population.

The undersigned organizations and organizations consider the launch of the strategy and its pledges a huge step taken by the Egyptian state towards promoting human rights as the Egyptian state's announcement of the establishment of the new republic as a republic that is keen to be a modern, democratic and civil; which are good indicators of the success of the political track. In achieving qualitative leaps in the field of human rights that change the ancient Egyptian reality and put forward a new era, the Egyptian state respects the principles of human rights and works to institutionally strengthen them.

The undersigned organizations and platforms expect more serious steps to promote human rights and affirm their follow-up to the Egyptian reform path, and that they will work to engage in it through the mechanisms of dialogue, negotiation and the mechanisms stipulated in the international commitments signed by Egypt in order to implement that ambitious strategy for this experience to a model which can be transferred to countries that seek to change their reality and move towards strengthening the reality of human rights.

Signed media organizations and platforms

Egyptian Organization for Human Rights

The Arab Bridge Center for Development and Human Rights - Jordan

The Arab-European Forum for Dialogue and Human Rights - Geneva

The Arab Network for Digital Media and Human Rights

Arab Union for Human Rights - Geneva

Egyptian Women Jurists Association

Women and Development Association in Alexandria

Human Rights Association in Assiut

The Arab Council for Human Rights

The Egyptian Organization for Businessmen and Expatriates Abroad

- United States

Canadian Center for Human Islam

The Egyptian Association for Aiding Juveniles and Human Rights

Ealam.com website

Step for Human Rights - Bahrain

Together for Human Rights - Bahrain

European Observatory for Human Rights - France

The Swedish-Yemeni Coalition to Monitor Human Rights Violations - Sweden

The British Yemeni Observatory for Human Rights

International Forum for Peace and Human Rights

The Egyptian community in Bahrain

International Federation of Sons of Egypt Abroad

The Egyptian American Cultural Club

The Egyptian community in Ukraine

The Egyptian Socio-Cultural Center - Holland

The World Federation of Yemeni Communities

The right-wing community in Hungary

Tl. The Yemeni community in the Czech Republic

The Federation of Yemeni Communities in Europe

The Egyptian Family House - Switzerland