In the 80th session of the CEDAW Committee, the Association of the Egyptian Female Lawyers (AEFL) gave an oral statement at the public informal meeting which was held for NGOs to give their oral statements.
In its statement AEFL agrees with CEDAW Committee in regard to calling the Egyptian government to provide equal opportunities for women in labor market according to article 11 of the convention. So to achieve this purpose, AEFL urges the Egyptian government to take effective measures in labor market to reduce professional parting and fill gender gap in regard to salaries. Also AEFL calls the Egyptian government to protect female house workers and domestic servants and to enact a law to protect them.
The Association of the Egyptian Female Lawyers calls the Egyptian government to respond to the committee’s recommendation to amend the nationality law in a way which guarantees gender equality in regard to delivering the nationality to children of Egyptian mothers.
In addition, AEFL expresses its concern towards the increasing number of girls’ marriage especially in rural areas and also towards polygamy according to law. Also legal provisions in the field of personal status especially what is related to marriage, divorce, custody and inheritance especially in villages of Upper Egypt and does not guarantee equal rights for men and women.
Finally, AEFL calls the Egyptian government to continuously cooperate with UN bodies on the top of which CEDAW Committee in addition to take more measures to face cultural legacies which affect women empowerment. AEFL also encourages Egyptian government to widen social networks to provide aids for women in Egyptian countryside.