President of the National Council for Human Rights (NCHR), Moushira Khattab, made remarks on the 79th Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) this week, emphasizing Egypt’s dedication to human rights advancements.
Khattab highlighted the launch of Egypt’s first National Human Rights Strategy as a cornerstone of this commitment. She also pointed to the country’s 2014 constitution, which features a dedicated section on human rights, ensuring alignment with international human rights agreements.
Her participation in the ACHPR session underscores Egypt’s active role in fostering human rights progress, both domestically and regionally. Khattab specifically mentioned the NCHR’s focus on empowering women, with nearly half (44.5%) of its members being female. She also stressed the importance of collaboration with civil society organizations in human rights discussions.
Combating FGM and Addressing Regional Issues
Khattab condemned Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) as a “crime and a blatant violation of human dignity.” She described her efforts to combat FGM through a collaborative societal movement involving non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Legislative efforts to strengthen penalties for FGM were also addressed.
Beyond its borders, Egypt expressed deep concern about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Khattab called it “a shame on humanity” and reaffirmed Egypt’s unwavering support for Palestinian self-determination. She outlined Egypt’s contributions, including hosting displaced Palestinians, providing humanitarian aid, and negotiating hostage releases.
Standing Up for Human Rights on the Global Stage
Egypt joined South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, demonstrating its commitment to holding human rights violators accountable. Khattab called on African nations to recognize the State of Palestine and highlighted Egypt’s support for Sudan through refugee resettlement and substantial humanitarian aid.
She urged the international community to take action to protect civilians in Gaza and achieve a lasting resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Collaboration for Regional Progress
Khattab acknowledged the challenges facing human rights in the Arab and African regions. She emphasized the importance of continued dialogue and cooperation as key to regional progress. The session’s president and vice president commended Egypt’s leadership and the NCHR’s role in strengthening human rights within the country.
The 79th Ordinary Session of the ACHPR is being held in a hybrid format from May 14th to June 3rd. Only Commission members and Secretariat staff are attending in person, with all other participants joining virtually.
