Constitutional Amendments Exclude Women Candidates for the Presidential Elections
Statement of the Egyptian Center for Women's Rights (ECWR)
2nd March 2011
The Egyptian Coalition for Civic Education and Women's Participation has received and reviewed the constitutional amendments. These amendments have led to great worries amongst the coalition for they did not achieve what the Egyptian people aimed for, nor meet the revolution's demands. As such the amendments are restoring the system of the past regime.
The Coalition has many notices as follows:
Article 75:
The article was amended to guarantee that "Egypt’s president is born to two Egyptian parents and cannot be married to a non-Egyptian woman. Neither he nor his parents shall have another nationality except the Egyptian one. He shall practice his own civil and political rights". These amendments limited nominations to men only for many reasons:
1. The phrase "cannot be married to non-Egyptian woman" is only limited to the spouse of man; the thing that means that the president will necessarily be a man.
2. The claim that masculine nouns in Arabic language include both men and women is not an accurate claim, because the Holy Qur'an that is the source of the Arabic language mentioned, most of the times, women beside men when saying " The submitting men, the submitting women, the believing men, the believing women … " and did not mention a masculine noun as a reference to both men and women.
3. The word "non-Egyptian woman" limited the nomination to men only, if we agree that masculinity could include both male and female, but femininity could not apply to male.
Thus, we suggest that the text reads as "shall not be married to a non-Egyptian".
Article 76:
Amendment of this article reflects a clear disruption of equal opportunities, since they equated a candidate for party who will gain seat by the parliamentary elections with an independent candidate who has to gain 30000 votes from 15 governorates. Thus, this approach paves the way before the electoral briberies, buying votes, in addition that it puts the future of the president in the hands of a specific power.
Article 189:
As for the formation of a constituent in order to issue a new constitution by elections of People's assembly and Upper House; it makes the constituent prone to balance of powers inside the council, since it does not stipulate standards that ensure existence of women and men experts from outside the councils. The text is general which may lead to having all the members of the constituent are those of the council. Thus the new constitution will not be created to be a constitutional or legal regime that is desired for Egypt; instead it will be created according to the dominated powers in the parliament. Thus, it is necessary to include a condition whereby the constituent should have experts from outside both of the two councils, in which gender balance should be taken in consideration in order to have sound participation of women experts. In Addition to the dire need for an election methodology that ensures participation of all members of society.
For more information contact the Coalition coordinator "The Egyptian Center for Women's Rights":
135 Misr-Helwan El Zeraay, Floor 2, Ste. 3
Hadayek el Maadi, Cairo, Egypt
Telephone: (+202) 25271397 / 25282176
Fax: (+202) 25282175
Members of the coalition:
1. The Egyptian Center for Women's Rights- Helwan
2. Andalus institute for tolerance and anti-violence studies- Cairo
3. Association of Human Communication- Cairo
4. Health and Environmental Culture Society- Cairo
5. Egyptian Medical Women's Association- Helwan
6. Citizen's Society for Development and Human Rights - Giza
7. Vision Society for Enlightenment and Community Development- El Menia
8. Association of population development and the preservation of the environment- Cairo
9.The Egyptian Society for Marketing and Development- Cairo
10. With You Society for Social Assistance- Helwan
11. Gozour Society for the comprehensive Development- Helwan
12. The Egyptian Society for Family Empowerment- Giza/p>
13. The Legislative Association in Bakri Mastour- Qalioubia
14. Pioneers Society for Development- Giza
15. Al Zohor Association for Development - 6th of October
16. Society Development Association in Sakil – 6th of October
17. The Egyptian Association for Environmental and Humanitarian Development - Al Qualiubia
18. Our Society Association for Development and Human Rights - Cairo
19. Association of Women and Child Development - Al Qualiubia
20. The legislative Association in Saa'd Zaghlol – Al Qualiubia
21. Legal Association for the support of Family and Human rights – Cairo
22. Mary Girgis Youth Association – Cairo
23. Hope Association in Al Aslougy – Sharkia
24. Women for Development Association – 6th of October
25. The Egyptian Association for Defend and support – Helwan
26. Ayatollah Association – Giza
27. Economic Liberalization Association – Cairo
28. Family Care Association - Giza
29. Al Sharkia Youth Association – Al Sharkia
30. Al Mashrek Association for Population Development – Sharkia
31. Cairo Center for Development – Giza
32. Kelmetna Association for Dialogue and Development – Cairo
33. Friends of Youth and Environment Association – October
34. Frasis Charitable Association for Society's Development – Gharbia
35. Al Hayat Association in Zifta
36. The Forum of Dialogue and Partnership for Development – Giza
37. Future Association for Development – Aswan
38. Nahdet el Fayuom Association- Fayuom
39. The Association of the interested people in education and development – Fayoum
40. Al Tanweer Centre for Development and Human Rights – Giza
41. The Egyptian Organization for Human Rights – Cairo
42. Nama'a Association for Development and Human Rights – Al Gharbia
43. Hawaa Future Association – Giza
44. Ismailia Generations for Development Association – Ismailia
45. Haq Center for Democracy and Human Rights – Cairo
46. Association for the Support and Development of Education – Giza
47. New Fustat Association - Cairo
48. Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights – Cairo
49. Bint Al Nil Association – Cairo
50. Kirtas Masr Association – Cairo
51. Egyptian Democratic Institute – Cairo
52. Oioun Masr Association for human rights – Gharbia
53. Shoa'a Association for Development and Human Rights Studies / under construction – Giza
54. I am Egyptian Association – Cairo
55. Red Crescent Association – Sohag
56. Human Rights Association – Assiut
57. Al Hana Women's Association – Cairo
58. Friends of Youth and the environment - Qaliubiya
59. Center of Children's rights – Cairo
60. Konouz Association for Development - Kafr El- Sheikh
61. The Arab dream Association - Kafr El-Sheikh
62. Community Development Association in Zafarana - Kafr El-Sheikh
63. Alrob' Charitable Association - Kafr El-Sheikh
64. Social Welfare Association - Kafr El-Sheikh
65. Resala Association – Kafr el Sheikh/p>
66. Craft Projects Development Association- Kafr el Shiekh
67. Bint El Riaydh Association- Kafr el Sheikh
68. Said Salem Society Development Association- Kafr el Sheikh
69. The National Center for Human Rights- Kafr el Sheikh
70. Association of modern women- Kafr el Sheikh
71. The Egyptian Center for Creativity and development and training
72. Middle East Media Association- Cairo
73. Women and Development Association- Alexandria
74. Tanweer Center Association- El Menia
75. Center for the defenders of human rights- Cairo
76. Our Dream Foundation for comprehensive Development – Qaliubia
77. Nahdet Misr Association- El Menia
78. El Sabr ei El Eman Association- Helwan
79. Dakahlia people Association – Helwan
80. Association of cities of steel- Helwan
81. Egyptian media professionals- Gharbia
82. The Arab Center- Cairo
83. The Egyptian Center for Creativity and Development
84. Future Businesswomen Association
85. Regional Federation for Associations- Gharbia
86. Shehab Foundation for Comprehensive Development Foundation
87. Seekers of Society Development Association- Fayuom
88. Association of Social Care for the specific Categories- Helwan
89. Arab Women Association for Development- Ismailia
90. Hayat Center Evangelical Church Doubbara Palace- Cairo
91. National Association for Youth Rights- Cairo
92. Civil Association for Children Cooperation- Cairo
93. Tijan Association for Society Development- Ismailia
94. Society Development Association in Bahnsa- El Menia
95. El Ghad El Moushreq Association for the Differently needed and Development
96. Association of Industrial Development Science for the Crafts
97. National Youth Association- Helwan
98. Today Youth Association (Shabab El Hoyum)- Helwan
99. Fayuom's Sons Association for Development- Helwan
100. Human Lovers Association- Helwan
101. Society Association for Development in Shaloufa- Suez
102. Coast people Association for Society Development- Suez
103. Society Development Association in Bandaf- Sharqia
104. Society Development Association in Kafr Badran- Sharqia
105. Society Development Association in Jadida- Sharqia
106. Masriya Association for Human Resources- Sharqia
107. Society Development Association in Magzer- Sharqia
108. Society Development Association in Shalshalmon- Sharqia
109. Society Development Association in Beni Khalil- Sharqia
110. The Coptic Charitable Association in Meet Beshar- Sharqia
111. Shahid FeloBatir Association in Kafr Salama Ibrahim- Sharqia
112. Society Development Association in Shobra el Enab- Sharqia
113. Zohoor el Hayat Association- Alexandria
114. El Sendousy Foundation- Alexandria
115. The Egyptian Legal and Constitutional Association for Human Rights- Alexandria
116. Family Planning Association- Alexandria
117. Youth Without Borders Community- Cairo