Anti-discrimination law

The new Egyptian constitution obligates the state to promote and guarantee equality between men and women in all civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights and provides protection to women from any form of violence [3]. Moreover, the state must take steps to ensure an appropriate level of representation of women in parliament, the executive and the judiciary. [4]

For several decades now, Egypt has suffered from increased discrimination against women and religious minorities. The new Egyptian constitution has introduced anti-discriminatory protections that prohibits discrimination based on religion, belief, gender, race, creed, color, language, disability or social class [5]; the scope of these protections are in accordance with the minimum standards set by international law and are unprecedented as far as Egypt’s previous constitutions are concerned. Further, the constitution obligates the state to take appropriate measures to combat all forms of discrimination and establish an independent government agency for this very purpose [6]. Finally, the constitution has also prohibited hate speech, which is not common even for more mature democracies, but runs the risk of being abused to muzzle legitimate freedom of expression [7]. 

 

[1] Article 11 of the Egyptian Constitution of 2014.

[1] Ibid

[1] Article 53 of the Egyptian Constitution of 2014.

[1] Ibid

[1] Ibid