What are Women, youth, handicapped shares of constitutional amendments?

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Thu, 18 Apr 2019 - 12:49 GMT

BY

Thu, 18 Apr 2019 - 12:49 GMT

An Egyptian woman walks in front of a polling station covered from outside by Egyptian flags, during the preparations for the upcoming referendum on constitutional amendments in Cairo, Egypt April 18, 2019. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh

An Egyptian woman walks in front of a polling station covered from outside by Egyptian flags, during the preparations for the upcoming referendum on constitutional amendments in Cairo, Egypt April 18, 2019. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh

CAIRO – 18 April 2019: The public referendum on the constitutional amendments will take place starting Saturday, April 20 to Monday, April 22 in Egypt. Meanwhile, Egyptian expatriates will vote in the planned referendum from Friday, April 19, to Sunday, April 21.

According to the amended Article (102, Paragraph 1), women will be given one fourth of the number of Parliament seats.

The article, approved by Egypt’s House of Representatives during a public discussion and voting session, reads: “The House of Representatives shall consist of at least 450 members, elected through direct and secret ballot. At least quarter the number of the parliamentary seats shall be given to women.”

Since the establishment of the Egyptian House, the number of women parliamentarians has never reached such percentage. During 1979, 1984 and 2010, when Egypt applied the quota, the Parliament witnessed high female representation as a result of the application of the quota, according to a report by The Egyptian Center for Women’s Rights (ECWR) in 2014, which called for at least 30 percent of the Parliament to be allocated for women.

In 2010, 64 seats were allocated for women at the Parliament, constituting 12 percent. But the figure declined to only 2 percent in 2011/2012 Parliament after the country allocated a quota for candidates without specifying women’s order in electoral list for political parties in elections, according to ECWR report.

What new bill gives Egyptian women

CAIRO - 19 February 2019: Egyptian women will be granted one fourth the number of Parliament seats according to the proposed constitutional amendments to increase women quota in the House. The bill, upon which the public might be soon invited to vote, has collected different opinions on its proposed articles, with the women's representation although considered the highest ever, some parliamentarians argued "less appropriate."



Also, article 244 assured that youth, Christians, persons with disabilities and Egyptians residing abroad will be represented in Parliament in an appropriate manner. The full amended article states: “The State shall ensure that youth, Christians, persons with disabilities and Egyptians residing abroad are represented in an appropriate manner, as specified by law.”

The constitution also mentioned workers and peasants in the new amendments, especially in article number 243, which clarifies: “The State shall ensure that workers and peasants are properly represented in the Parliament as specified by law.”

A New article (Number 248) has been added to the constitution stating that “The Senate (previously known as Shura council) shall study and propose what it deems necessary to consolidate the pillars of democracy, social peace, and the basic values of society, as well as rights, freedoms and public duties. It is also assigned to deepen the democratic system and expand its fields.”

The controversy regarding the amendments has been politically-regarded since it was first suggested as a draft proposal in the Parliament.

MPs rejecting, backing amendments got chance to express themselves: opposition bloc

CAIRO -16 April 2019: As a parliamentary legislative subcommittee already approved a proposed set of constitutional amendments, a number of MPs who earlier voiced rejection of the amendments praised the societal dialogue that took place in the Parliament, hoping that more youth could be present.




In mid-February, members of the House of Representatives approved in principle the proposed amendments after the Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee in the Parliament reviewed and passed the draft.

The proposal was submitted in the first place by leader of the majority bloc at the Parliament and President of the Support Egypt Coalition Abdel Hady al-Qasabi to Speaker Abdel Aal earlier in February. The proposal was signed by one-fifth of the Parliament members.

On Tuesday, April 16, a total of 531 Parliamentarians approved the draft report of constitutional amendments. Only 22 parliament members refused the amendments while one member abstained from voting.

By announcing this approval, the parliament gave the state’s National Elections Authority (NEA) the green light to announce a public referendum within 30 days. On Wednesday, April 17, Lasheen Ibrahim, head of NEA, called on the Egyptian expatriates to vote in the planned referendum on the amendments from Friday, April 19, to Sunday, April 21.

He also announced that the public referendum for Egyptians inside the country will take place starting Saturday, April 20 to Monday, April 22.

Ibrahim urged the citizens to accompany their children and enjoy their constitutional right, urging them to ignore the boycott calls, and to cast their ballot in polling stations nationwide.


Before vote: Know about powers granted to president by constitutional amendments

CAIRO - 16 April 2019: The parliamentary legislative subcommittee, headed by Parliament Speaker Ali Abdel Aal, approved on Sunday a set of proposed constitutional amendments paving the way for the Parliament to hold a final vote on them on Tuesday.




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