January 13, 2021
The Forum for Development and Human Rights Dialogue participates in the meetings of the National Strategy for Human Rights
The Forum for Development and Human Rights Dialogue has participated in the sessions held by the technical secretariat of the High Permanent Committee for Human Rights with representatives of civil society organizations in context of preparing for launching the first national strategy for human rights. The meetings are held through Zoom application to commit to the taken preventive measures in facing “coronavirus” presided by the ambassador Dr. Ahmed Ehab Gamal El Din, the general secretary of the High Permanent Committee for Human Rights and the assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for human rights and international social and human matters.
During his speech, Mr. Said Abd El Hafez, the chairperson of the Forum for Development and Human Rights Dialogue, considers that the participation of civil society organizations in such widened discussion is a step forward by the state towards enhancing partnership between the state and civil society pointing out that launching the national strategy for human rights is an evidence of the Egyptian State’s commitment to its duty towards the Egyptian citizens.
The participants list included Nigad Al Borae, the head of the united group, Ayman Akeel, the head of MAAT for Peace, Development and Human Rights, the activists Abd Al Mawla Ismail, Ehab Rady, Shady Amen, Iqbal Al Samaloty, Hani Helal and Kemet Foundation for Peace, in addition to number of representatives of vocational and professional syndicates and unions, developmental and human rights organizations, research centers and regional unions from different governorates.
The participants from civil society have agreed on specific suggestions in regard to how to enhance partnership between the state and civil society in context of following up the stages of implementing the strategy assuring the importance of the existence of measurement indicators and a timetable.
The participants called for more development for the training activities on human rights for governmental employees including governorates level, the importance of developing governmental services provided for citizens, the importance of more activation of constitutional and legislative texts relevant to women and child rights and people with disabilities rights in addition to facilitating their access to the services they need.
The civil society representatives called for the immediate dissemination of the executive regulation for civil work law so that the work of civil institutions will be organized easily. In addition, they suggested launching raising awareness campaigns in regard to human rights in different educational stages using simplified way to clarifying rights and duties as two sides for one coin and one should not be considered without the other.
It is worth mentioning that the committee supervising the strategy conducted a widened discussion plan including a meeting with the National Council for Human Rights and a meeting with the advisory body formed by the high committee which includes 25 of public figures and Egyptian experts in fields of law, policy and economy to contribute to the process of preparing the strategy in addition to collecting and studying the national strategies, work plans and programs and future activities from different ministries and bodies relevant to human rights.
