We are heading for a new epoch of constitutional amendments in which women political participation enters a significant trend. So, I was keen to take part in the discussions held in the headquarters of the National Council for Women around such amendments concerning women political partake in the representative councils.

I want to discuss some of the reviewed ideas, particularly that they were democratically manipulated by many of the prominent lawmaker elites, representatives of the Egyptian parties and civil societies.

I want to focus in particular on the address made by the Qaliuobiya governor, Councilor Adly Hussein as he said" I'm here supporting women, a word of truth that every woman attending this meeting was waiting for.

Yet, we wait for this word from every open-minded person through this historical stage of the homeland march.

At the end of his address, I asked Councilor Hussein to elucidate his opinion of empowering women politically. He said that President Mubarak's electoral program determined a minimum number of parliamentary women seats.

And, in his address to both the People's Assembly and Shura Council, the President added that such participation of women should be active. From the legal side, these words could be translated to 30% minimum of the parliamentary seats, as such percentage goes in line with other nations' standards of empowering women politically.

This also means that there is a constitutional support of law and Article 11 of the Constitution that ensures equality between man and woman in life. In other words, allotting the 50% percentage of equality for women.

We inspire for a constitutional support that provides equality between the two genres without limiting the percentage, for the constitution is drafted for future and not for a certain period of time. In addition, we hope for Egypt's active stance towards Article 4 of the international agreement for women non-discrimination.

El Ahram
By Mona Ragab
4/3/2007