Egypt

مشروع قانون الرموز الدينيه في كيبك كندا

  الاهرام اليومي
د. عزة رضوان صدقى

مشروع قانون الرموز الدينيه في كيبك كندا

 

مشروع قانون 21 يمنع موظفى الحكومة فى مقاطعة كيبيك، مثل المعلمين ونظار المدارس والقضاة والمحامين وضباط الشرطة، من ارتداء الرموز الدينية كالطاقية اليهودية أو العمامة السيخية أو الحجاب الإسلامى. لن يُفصل الذين يعملون بالحكومة ويرتدون هذه الرموز اليوم، ولكن، إذا تم تفعيل القانون، ومن المرجح ذلك، سينفّذ على كل من يُتعاقد معه من الآن فصاعدا، وسوف يسرى على الجميع فى حالة الترقى

تعددية الثقافات هى فخر كندا وأسلوبها فى التعامل المتساوى مع جميع أفراد المجتمع، هذا وإن كانت ولاتزال مقاطعة كيبيك مختلفة عن المقاطعات الأخرى. فى كيبيك تسود العادات واللغة الفرنسية، وإن كان هذان يتضاءلان شيئا فشيئا، لذا تحاول كيبيك باستماتة المحافظة على وجودها المختلف، وخطة الحكومة فى فرض هذا القانون هى من حيطتها من النفوذ الأجنبى ورغبتها فى الاحتفاظ بصلبها الأصلى. إذا أدركنا ذلك قد نتفهّم الأسباب وراء مشروع قانون 21.

إن أعضاء الحزب الحاكم فى كيبيك، الذى يتمتع بأغلبية قوية، مقتنعون بأن مشروع قانون 21 يدعم الفصل بين الدولة والدين، ويحافظ على الهوية المتميزة للمقاطعة، ويوازن بين الحقوق الفردية والحقوق الجماعية، ولكنهم أيضا اعترفوا بأن مشروع قانون 21 رغم أنه من أجل مصلحة المجموع، او هكذا يعتقدون، فإنه يحد من حق بعض الأقليات. استمعت اللجنة المكلفة بتشريع القانون إلى المؤيدين والمعارضين، ووقف الكثيرون يتحدثون عنه بالإيجاب أو بالسلب. هذا وقد طالب منتقدو مشروع القانون مؤيديه مرارًا وتكرارًا بتقديم دليل على التهديد الذى يواجه مجتمع كيبيك من هذه الرموز، لأنه تخوف مفتعل، ومع ذلك أيّدت مجموعات كثيرة أدلت بشهادتها مشروع القانون، ووصف بعضهم النساء المسلمات اللاتى يرفضن إزالة الحجاب فى مكان عملهن بالمتطرفات، قائلين إنه: عندما ترتدى إحداهن الحجاب فإنها ترسل رسالة واضحة، كما لو كانت تحث الآخرين على الانضمام للإسلام، حتى إن بعضهم اقترح أن يذهب مشروع القانون إلى أبعد من نصه الحالى. هؤلاء البعض يريدون تطبيقه أيضا على معلِّمى المدارس الخاصة ومعلِّمى دور الحضانة، حينئذ المعلِّم اليهودى فى المدرسة اليهودية الخاصة لن يُسمح له بارتداء طاقيته الخاصة، كذلك المعلِّمة المسلمة لن ترتدى الحجاب فى المدرسة الإسلامية نتمنى ألا يحدث ذلك فهذا أسلوب عنصرى صارخ وتدخل فى الحريات الشخصيه

أما من اعترض على تشريع القانون فهم الأغلبية العظمى من الكنديين، فالجموع مشمئزة تماما مما تنوى مقاطعة كيبيك إقراره وقد تناول الإعلام مشروع القانون ببغض، واعتبره قانونا تمييزيا وعنصريا. وقد لخص جستن ترودو، رئيس وزراء كندا، القانون بوضوح شديد قائلا: لا يعقل أن نكون فى مجتمع حر ومع ذلك نشرِّع التمييز ضد المواطنين على أساس دينهم. وقد وقف مئات بل آلاف المواطنين من مختلف العرقيات فى وقفات احتجاجية، مطالبين حكومة كيبيك بالتريث وعدم التفريط فى الحريات الشخصية، وقال بعضهم: إن حملة قمع الرموز الدينية سيكون لها تداعيات خطيرة، لأنها تزرع الخوف والانقسام وتآكل الحقوق الأساسية، والحجاب ليس رمزًا دينيًا، إنه عقيدة وقناعة عميقة الجذور، وما يُقال لك هو أن تتخلى عن هويتك كإنسان، وأنا لا أعتبر هذا خيارا حرا

كما أن كثيرين يعتبرون تشريع هذا القانون فى هذا الوقت بالذات خطًأ كبيرًا، لأن جرائم الكراهية العنصرية ضد الأعراق المختلفة تزايدت فى كيبيك ثلاثة أضعاف فى الآونة الأخيرة، لذا فالمعترضون على القانون ينصحون الحكومة بالتعامل مع حقوق الفرد بشيء من التريث والحذر. الأهم هو: هل باستطاعة مقاطعة بمفردها، كيبيك، على عكس باقى المقاطعات التسع والأقاليم الثلاثة، فى بلد يمثل نموذجًا عالميًا للحقوق والحريات الفردية، أن تضع مشروع قانون ينتهك الميثاق الشرعى للبلد وتميِّز البعض على الآخرين، بل إنه يضر بالتماسك الاجتماعى كما يعطى الأغلبية البيضاء الفرصة للتعنُّت ضد الأقليات الدينية واستغلال القانون لإباحة أعمال عنف ضدهم. إنه انتهاك صارخ وجسيم لحقوق الإنسان. كما أن الرسالة التى يتلقاها المسلمون والسيخ واليهود والأعراق المختلفة هى رسالة واضحة: أنهم غير مرحب بهم فى كيبيك، فهم مجبرون إما لتغيير ممارساتهم الدينية أو المخاطرة بفقدان وظائفهم أو النزوح لمقاطعات أخرى

والعجيب أن الحكومة الفيدرالية بها وزيران يرتديان العمامة السيخية، كما أن زعيم الحزب الديمقراطى الفيدرالى المعارض هو أيضا يرتدى العمامة السيخية. فكيف سيكون حال هؤلاء المشرِّعين إذا وجب عليهم زيارة كيبيك، وهل سيشعرون أنهم مرحب بهم هناك؟

القانون لا يستهدف رمزا واحدا على وجه التحديد، ولكنه من المؤكد يخص المسلمات بالأغلب، لأنهن الأكثر ظهورا، وسوف يؤثر عليهن هذا القانون كثيرا، وقد أدركت مواطنة محجبة وعلى درجة الماجستير فى القانون الجنائى، أن حلمها لتكون مدعية جنائية قد ولّى، لأنها لن تكون قادرة على ارتداء الحجاب فى المحكمة إذا ما تم إقرار قانون 21.

إن مشروع القانون 21 هو بمثابة منحدر للانقسام ولتآكل الحقوق الأساسية. ياليت كيبيك تعدل عن هذا القانون

لمزيد من مقالات د. عزة رضوان صدقى

رابط دائم: 

 

Banquet of love and affection to celebrate Ramadan in Egypt

Euro News

 

Hundreds of Egyptians gathered for an annual Ramadan celebration in a Cairo neighbourhood, forming a 50-meter long table filled with Ramadan delights.

The banquet is organised by almost 70 individuals living on Ezbet Hamada Street in Matariya, a low-income area of northern Cairo.

The annual festival is not an act of charity, says the volunteer Ali Amer, but an intimate meal offered by the neighbourhood youth with the intention of "creating love and affection."

Organisers collect specific sums of money throughout the year to pay for food and associated costs. Among the volunteers are professional chefs who cook food in nearby houses.

UN organization lauds Egypt's plan of action on women

Egypt Today

Women empowerment—CC via pixabay/GDJ

CAIRO - 26 May 2019: The UN Women Organization lauded the strong initiative adopted by Egypt and its decision to work out the first national plan of action to put into effect UN resolution 1325 on women, peace and security.

The resolution reaffirms the important role of women in the prevention and resolution of conflicts, peace negotiations, peace-building, peacekeeping, humanitarian response and in post-conflict reconstruction. It stresses the importance of their equal participation and full involvement in all efforts for the maintenance and promotion of peace and security.

In a statement on Sunday, the organization praised statements by head of the Egyptian National Council for Women Maya Morsi in which she underlined that engaging women in the decision-making process is the corner stone of Egypt 2030 vision.

Among the main goals of Egypt 2030 vision is encouraging all forms of women's participation and building her capabilities to achieve her task successfully.

The statement lauded fruitful cooperation between the Cairo International Center for Conflict Resolution, Peacekeeping and Peace-building (CCCPA), the Egyptian Foreign Ministry and the Egyptian council for women in rendering the Egyptian initiative a success

 

via www.egypttoday.com

All credit to Egyptian women

Ahram Online, by Azza Radwan Sedky

Foreign surveys have been painting an unrecognisable portrait of today’s Egyptian women

Foreign surveys on Egypt can paint a dismal picture of spiritless and subservient Egyptian women. It is high time we held such surveys accountable and exposed their inaccuracies.

I have always been sceptical of the surveys conducted by, say, Thomson Reuters or Gallop on Egypt. Such surveys leave me perturbed and disconcerted, for neither the questions asked, the methodology applied, the experts probed, nor the results established make much sense. Today, as I examine the latest surveys, my reservations are validated.

In a 2013 Thomson Reuters survey, Egyptian women fared worst among the 22 Arab states, even as women in Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Yemen and Libya were caught up in wars.

In 2015, Gallop decided Egyptians were a very unhappy people; out of 143 countries surveyed, Egypt came in at 123. Laughably, the survey conductors asked passers-by, “did you feel well-rested yesterday? Did you smile or laugh a lot yesterday?” I bet many Egyptians walked on, ignoring those conducting the survey.

In 2017, Thomson Reuters ranked Cairo as the most dangerous megacity for women from a list of 19. Most Cairene women will find this bizarre since we find Cairo to be very safe.

By the same token, a Mexican friend once visited me in Cairo. In an involuntary act, and because she did this elsewhere, she rolled the taxi window up in anticipation of some violent act or another. I told her Egyptian bystanders never carry out harmful acts.

Another friend, this time a Canadian one, found the fact that children were riding their tricycles on the curb at 8 pm in Heliopolis, unaccompanied, to be quite exceptional and wonderful at the same time.

In a 2018 Thomson Reuters survey, despite not appearing in the top ten countries in most categories, Egypt came in as the eighth most-dangerous country for women in terms of cultural and religious traditions or customary practices. Granted female genital mutilation (FGM) has not been eradicated in Egypt, but the numbers are slowly inching downwards.

According to the same report, in terms of sexual violence Egypt also ranked as the tenth most-dangerous country in the world. Any Egyptian living on Egyptian soil would find such results to be inexplicable. Sexual violence is not endemic in Egypt.

We won’t delve further into these surveys per se, but let’s turn the tables on these studies and see for ourselves what the women of Egypt have gained in recent years. First, let’s pay tribute to the women who stood their ground on 25 January 2011 and later on 30 June 2013. Standing shoulder to shoulder and side by side with their male counterparts, these women demanded change, a feat in itself, and they got it.

More recently, Egyptian women stood in solidarity with men to implement their voting rights in the 2019 referendum despite age or physical challenges. One such Egyptian woman, who had no arms, was photographed using her toes to sign the registration sheet. Blind women were led into polling stations. These women were there to tell the world that they all have rights.

I also envision momentous transformations for the simplest Egyptian women. Sayeda, let’s call her so, lives somewhere in rural Egypt. She suffered from FGM as a child, but she would fight tooth and nail before she let her own daughters go through a similar indignity, having learnt the lesson from TV awareness campaigns and NGOs calling for the eradication of the custom. I know of some mothers who went along with the custom for their eldest daughters, but adamantly refused to let their younger ones go through the same ordeal.

Sayeda grew up with no electricity and a rudimentary sewage system. Today, she has both, and clean water too, as improved waste disposal and water access now reach millions. She was illiterate, but now she goes to adult education classes and can read and write. Not only does this empower her, but it also provides her with crucial information about child-rearing, birth control and healthcare for her children.

Sayeda used the government’s new Financial Inclusion Initiative and the support of NGOs to receive a loan that she invested in a cow. Its dairy products she sells for extra cash, which has raised her self-esteem and empowered her further. She’s now paid off the loan, and her next one will go towards a sewing machine.

According to Egypt’s Micro, Small and Medium-Enterprise Development Agency (MSMEDA), “rural women control 51 per cent of all MSMEDA-funded projects,” and women have become “a major driver for small and medium-sized projects in the country.” What often starts as a small individual effort later becomes a business that employs other female workers.

Like millions of other Egyptian women, Sayeda or her husband may have been cured of Hepatitis C, as have two million others, when the government made treatments available for all citizens, or she may have found out through the government’s 100 Million Healthy Lives Initiative that she suffered from Hepatitis C, and then she would have been immediately put on the proper medication for free. By March this year, over 36 million Egyptians had been screened in total since the initiative began, in the hope that by 2022 Egypt will be free of Hepatitis C. Only a few years back, one in every ten Egyptians was affected by the disease.

On the other end of the spectrum, meet the Egyptian women who have shattered glass ceilings in all fields. As social norms change, women gain empowerment.

Women lawmakers are at the helm playing pivotal roles in Egypt’s future: there are now eight women ministers, 89 parliamentarians and two governors. Women parliamentarians will form 25 per cent of parliament after the 2019 referendum is implemented.

Egyptian women continue to gain rights and play a significant role in society. They have become airline pilots, professionals, entrepreneurs, judges and members of the police force.

Egyptian women are overcoming the stereotypes depicted in the foreign surveys. Egyptian women swimmers, weightlifters and Taekwondo and squash players rank amongst the best athletes in the world.

Opera singers known worldwide, jewellery makers that create unique Egyptian brands, or accessory producers whose bags sell for thousands all around the world are just some Egyptian women.

Yet, Thomson Reuters and other survey conductors don’t want to see the leaps and bounds Egyptian women have taken. I suggest they take a closer and better look at today’s Egyptian woman. She’s capable of doing wonders.

*The writer is a political analyst.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 22 May, 2019 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: All credit to Egyptian women  

via english.ahram.org.eg

World's Top Carry Trade Here to Stay as Egypt Seen Holding Rates

Bloomberg, by Mirette Magdy (link: World's  Top Carry Trade Here to Stay as Egypt Seen Holding Rates)

Foreign investors came to Egypt for what Renaissance Capital said could be the “best reform story” in emerging markets and stayed for this year’s biggest carry-trade return.

Just one cut in interest rates by Egypt in over a year, coupled with a dovish shift by global central banks, has powered gains in the pound that are second only to Russia’s ruble among all currencies tracked by Bloomberg in 2019. With the currency strengthening and yields still attractive, foreign holdings of local debt have surged almost 40% this year through April.

In the months ahead, little is likely to threaten Egypt’s appeal as a carry trade, in which investors borrow in currencies where rates are low and invest in the local assets of countries where they are high.

All but one of the 11 economists surveyed by Bloomberg predict the Monetary Policy Committee will leave its key rate at 15.75% for a second meeting on Thursday. The pause could stretch past the summer, according to investment bank EFG Hermes.

“Egypt will remain attractive for investors compared to other emerging markets because its interest rate should remain relatively high, its currency position is good, and the country’s risk profile is low compared to other emerging peers,” said Mohamed Abu Basha, head of macroeconomic analysis at EFG Hermes.

A reform push has revived investor interest in the most populous Arab nation after it removed currency controls in 2016, floating the pound to ease a crippling dollar shortage and seal a $12 billion International Monetary Fund loan. After surviving about $10 billion in outflows last year during a selloff in emerging markets, the central bank was confident enough to lift its repatriation mechanism, which guaranteed foreign investors could withdraw their profits in hard currency.

Despite expectations that the shift toward the open market could result in greater price swings for the pound, its one-month historical volatility has instead halved since January. The currency is trading at the strongest in more than two years after gaining about 6% against the dollar in 2019.

“The appreciation in the exchange rate finally reflects the market forces, which is reassuring for investors, instead of the previous rigidity due to the repatriation mechanism,” said independent economist Reham El Desoki.

Meanwhile, Egypt’s debt is offering some of the biggest returns among developing nations, with the yield on its one-year T-bill around 17%, or more than triple the average for local-currency debt in emerging markets.

Also providing a measure of optimism is a decision by Egypt to approachJPMorgan Chase & Co. for inclusion in its emerging-market bond index. Egypt’s Finance Ministry additionally signed an agreement with Euroclear that may help attract foreign demand for local-currency debt.

Rates may stay elevated as the central bank looks to bring inflation to single digits next year. It defied expectations for a cut in March after a surprise decrease of 100 basis points a month earlier.

Despite an inflation slowdown in March and April, policy makers are on alert before a new round of cuts in energy subsidies in June, alongside an increase in wages the following month.

Still, an eventual easing cycle is likely to take the wind out of the pound’s rally. A strong currency is also a concern for the government because it hurts exports and tourism.

At current policy rates, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. says its inflation projections imply “historically high real rates,” which suggests that as much as 300 basis points of easing could be warranted in the remainder of the year.

Given expectations that monetary easing could resume late this year and a possible depreciation in the pound could follow in early 2020, “some investors might adopt a wait-and-see approach,” according to El Desoki.

Given expectations that monetary easing could resume towards the end of the year at the earliest and a possible depreciation in the pound could follow in the first quarter of 2020, “some investors might adopt a wait-and-see approach,” according to El Desoki.

But the draw of returns on Egyptians assets could keep foreign buyers coming back for more.

“We see continued inflows but at a slower pace during the year, with investors eyeing the prospects of an easing cycle,” EFG Hermes’s Abu Basha said.

— With assistance by Paul Wallace, Rinat Gaynullin, Netty Idayu Ismail, and Marton Eder

Walmart, Target, Bed Bath must face lawsuit over fake 'Egyptian' cotton: NY judge

Reuters, excerpt. (Link: Walmart, Target, Bed Bath must face lawsuit over fake 'Egyptian' cotton: NY judge)

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A federal judge said Walmart Inc, Target Corp and Bed Bath & Beyond Inc must face a lawsuit claiming they sold linens that were falsely labeled “100% Egyptian Cotton” or “100% Long-Staple Egyptian cotton” despite being suspicious of their origin.

Monday’s decision by U.S. District Judge Vincent Briccetti in White Plains, New York, addressed claims that consumers nationwide overpaid for mislabeled cotton produced by an Indian textile company, Welspun India Ltd.

Egyptian cotton often commands a premium price because of its prestige, and because its long fibers yield a finer, lighter, softer and more durable fabric.

In a 39-page decision, Briccetti said consumers may pursue breach of warranty and negligent misrepresentation claims against the retailers and a U.S. unit of Welspun, and fraud claims against the Welspun unit.

He dismissed fraud claims against the retailers because there was no “strong inference of fraudulent intent.” New York and California consumers were allowed to sue the retailers under their respective states’ consumer protection laws.

A lawyer for Welspun and Bed Bath & Beyond declined to comment. Walmart, Target and their respective lawyers did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The consumers’ lawyers did not immediately respond to similar requests.

According to the complaint, the retailers sold Welspun’s “Egyptian” cotton well into 2016 even though Target and Bed Bath & Beyond had known for several months, and Walmart had known as early as 2008, that the cotton was mislabeled.

The cotton was sold under the Fieldcrest, Royal Velvet, Better Homes and Gardens, Canopy, Crowning Touch and Perfect Touch brands, court papers show.

Target severed its ties to Welspun in August 2016, and Walmart and Bed Bath & Beyond stopped selling the linens in question later that year.

Walmart, Target, Bed Bath must face lawsuit over fake "Egyptian" cotton: NY judge

 

لنعط المراة المصريه حقها

د. عزة رضوان صدقى

 

الاهرام اليومي 

 

 

الدراسات الاستقصائية الغربية، التى تجرى عن المرأة المصرية ترسم صورة مفتعلة، فتصوِّرها بلاروح، مهزومة وخاضعة لإرادة الآخرين. تشككت دائمًا فى استطلاعات،  على سبيل المثال، طومسون رويترز أو جالوب بول حول مصر، لأن الأسئلة المطروحة وأساليب التحقيق والنتائج تثبت عدم مصداقيتها. حان الوقت لنحاسب القائمين بهذه الاستطلاعات ونكشف عدم دقة النتائج التى يسردونها

فى استطلاع أجرته طومسون رويترز عام 2013، اعتبرت أن المرأة المصرية وضعها الأسوأ بين جميع نساء الدول العربية، مع العلم بأنه فى 2013 المرأة فى العراق وسوريا والسودان واليمن وليبيا كانت تعانى ويلات الحروب.وفى استطلاع 2015 استنتج استفتاء جالوب بول أن المصريين غير سعداء إطلاقا، فكان ترتيب مصر الـ123 من 143 دولة شملها الاستطلاع. المضحك أن الأسئلة التى سئلت للمارة تضمنت: هل شعرت بالراحة أمس؟ هل ابتسمت أمس؟ هل ضحكت كثيرا أمس؟. من المؤكد أن من سألوا هذه الأسئلة العجيبة استمروا فى طريقهم متجاهلين منفذى الاستطلاع تماما. فى عام 2017 صنفت طومسون رويترز القاهرة كأخطر المدن بالنسبة للنساء من قائمة 19 مدينة كبرى. نساء القاهرة قد يعتبرن هذا الاستنتاج غريبا، حيث يجدن القاهرة آمنة. ومع ذلك قد زارتنى صديقة مكسيكية ذات مرة، وفى حركة لا إرادية، ولأن هذا ما تفعله فى مدن أخرى، قامت بإغلاق نافذة التاكسى بسرعة تحسبا لأعمال عنف من المارة. أخبرتها آنذاك بأن المارة فى القاهرة لايؤذون. وأخيرا فى استطلاع طومسون رويترز لعام 2018، احتلت مصر المرتبة العاشرة فى العالم فيما يتعلق بالعنف الجنسى. إن مثل هذه النتائج غريبة وغير قابلة للتفسير

لن نتعمق أكثر فى هذه الدراسات الاستقصائية, لكن دعونا نقيِّم بأنفسنا ما اكتسبته المرأة المصرية فى الآونة الأخيرة. أولاً: فلنحيى المرأة التى وقفت صلبة فى 25 يناير 2011 ولاحقًا فى 30 يونيو 2013، مطالبة بالتغيير جنبًا إلى جنب مع نظرائها الرجال. كما مارست المرأة المصرية حقوقها فى جميع الانتخابات التى تلت بما فيها استفتاء عام 2019 على الرغم من تحديات المسئوليات والجهد والشيخوخة والإعاقات الجسدية المختلفة. هؤلاء النساء أخبرن العالم بأنهن أسوة بالرجال فى كل شيء

أرى تحولاً جوهريا لنساء مصر حتى البسيطات منهن. فاطمة، دعنا نسميها هكذا، تعيش فى مكان ما فى ريف مصر. عانت من الختان فى صباها لكنها أيقنت عن طريق حملات التوعية التليفزيونية وخدمات المنظمات الأهلية, التى تدعو إلى القضاء على الختان, خطورة هذا العرف، واليوم تحمى بناتها من المرور بنفس المهانة. أنا أعرف من رفضن بإصرار السماح لبناتهن المرور فى محنة الختان

نشأت فاطمة بدون كهرباء وبنظام صرف صحي بدائي. اليوم لديها الصرف الصحي والكهرباء والمياه النظيفة أيضًا. كانت فاطمة أميّة لكنها تذهب الآن إلى فصول تعليم الكبار وتقرأ وتكتب، مما يمكنها الوصول إلى معلومات مهمة حول تربية الأطفال، وتنظيم النسل، والرعاية الصحية لأطفالها

 استخدمت فاطمة مبادرة الإدماج المالي الجديدة ودعم المنظمات الأهلية للحصول على قرض استثمرته في شراء بقرة، حيث تبيع منتجاتها لتحسِّن من قدراتها وتزيد من احترامها لذاتها. لقد دفعت القرض بأكمله والقرض القادم سوف يذهب نحو ماكينة خياطة. وفقًا لجهاز تنمية المشروعات الصغيرة والمتوسطة ومتناهية الصغر "تسيطر النساء الريفيات على ٥١ في المائة من إجمالي المشاريع الممولة من الجهاز، وأن النساء    أصبحن محرِّكًا رئيسيًا للمشاريع الصغيرة ومتوسطة الحجم في البلاد".  بالإضافة لذلك قد تكون فاطمة قد شُفيت من فيروس الكبد الوبائي مثلها مثل مليوني فرد في المجتمع المصري، عندما وفرت الحكومة المصرية العلاج لجميع المواطنين، أو من خلال مبادرة ١٠٠ مليون صحة، قد تكون فاطمة أدركت أنها تعاني بالفعل من فيروس س وقد تم وضعها علي العلاج المناسب مجانا

على الجانب الآخر من المعادلة لنلتقى بالنساء المصريات اللاتى تغلبن على جميع الحواجز فى جميع المجالات، فقد انتزعت المصرية حقها مع تغيير المعايير المجتمعية. الآن تلعب المرأة المشرِّعة دورًا محوريًا فى مستقبل مصر: ثمانى وزيرات و89 برلمانية ومحافظتان وستشكل البرلمانيات 25 فى المائة من البرلمان بعد تنفيذ استفتاء 2019

رغم أن المصريات لم يصبحن قضاة بعد، فقد أصبحن طيارات محترفات ومهنيات وسيدات أعمال وضابطات فى الشرطة، وقد كشفت دراسة حديثة أجرتها مؤسسة التمويل الدولية (IFC) عن أن الشركات المصرية التى تضم مجالس إداراتها نساء قد تفوقت على تلك التى تتضمن رجالا فقط. كما تعد السباحات المصريات ولاعبات التايكوندو ورفع الأثقال والاسكواش من أفضل الرياضيات فى العالم. وقد ذاع سيط النساء المصريات حول العالم كصانعات مجوهرات واقتصاديات ومغنيات أوبرا ومنتِجات حقائب نسائية تباع بآلاف الدولارات

ومع ذلك، لا يرغب منفذو الاستطلاعات رؤية قفزات المرأة المصرية. أقترح عليهم إلقاء نظرة فاحصة أفضل، فالمرأة المصرية قادرة على فعل العجائب

لمزيد من مقالات د. عزة رضوان صدقى

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Egypt teaches students about love and marriage in attempt to curb divorce

The Guardian, by Lena Masri (excerpt: read on Egypt teaches students about love and marriage in attempt to curb divorce) 

CAIRO (Reuters) - During a recent class at Cairo University, students laughed as they watched a skit acted out by their peers about a married couple. The husband came home from work and asked his wife, who was sweeping the floor, why dinner wasn't ready.

"I pick up the kids and I go to work ... Am I neglecting something because the food is still on the stove?" the wife asked, to which the husband responded: "The apartment looks like a rubbish dump."

The skit was part of a new government project called Mawadda, which offers lessons to university students about how to pick the right partner and how to handle conflicts in marriage. The goal is to prevent divorce after the number of divorces reached more than 198,000 in 2017, a 3.2% increase from the year before.

Mawadda, meaning affection, is still in a trial phase, but the goal is to target 800,000 young people yearly starting 2020 and to eventually make it mandatory for university students to take a class before graduating.

After watching the skit, some students and the teacher pointed out that the husband should carry out more household tasks.

"It's not her obligation to do all that," said Salah Ahmed, the teacher, adding that the Prophet Mohammad helped his wife with all tasks and his example should be followed.

But he also said the wife should have been more understanding and tried to look good for her husband instead of welcoming him while sweeping the floor.

Julia Gosef, a 23-year-old student who attended the class with her fiance, said she worries that Egypt's economic hardships could harm her marriage. The couple will not be able to rely on one income so she would be forced to work, which could lead to arguments similar to the one in the skit, she said.

"I think I won't be able to take care of our home well enough," she said.

Mawadda's lessons will be accompanied by YouTube videos, a radio program and educational plays. The church and Egypt's top Sunni Muslim authority, Al-Azhar, are partners.

"If we want to solve the problem from the root we need to target people before they get married," said Amr Othman, manager of Mawadda at the Social Solidarity Ministry. He added that there's a correlation in Egypt between divorce and problems such as child homelessness and drug addiction.

At a youth conference in July, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said divorce and separation meant that millions of Egyptian children were living without one of their parents.

Islam allows men to end their marriages verbally, only by telling their wives they are divorcing them. Sisi has said he wants to see an end to this practice in Egypt because the divorce rate is too high. The Mawadda project was launched in response to Sisi's concerns, officials said.

It typifies some of Sisi's efforts to drive social change.

"He is patriarchal and speaks to Egyptians as if he was their father," Barak Barfi, research fellow at New America, a think tank based in Washington, said of Sisi. "It (Mawadda) reflects his belief that transformation can be instituted from the top rather than from below at the grass roots level."

Egypt teaches students about love and marriage in attempt to curb divorce

CNN's promo on Egypt, worth watching

CAIRO – 11 May 2019: CNN news network has displayed an ad promotes tourism to Egypt, three days after the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism signed a deal with the US agency for producing a series of films about touristic places in Egypt.

The 2.2-minute ad shows many charming and exhilarating places in Luxor Aswan, Cairo, Saint Catherine, White Desert, and Sharm el Sheikh.

 

 

 

 

Know about ministers' suggestions for Egyptian 'heritage month' in Canada

Egypt Today (Link: Know about ministers' suggestions for Egyptian 'heritage month' in Canada)

CAIRO - 8 May 2019: Ministers of immigration, culture, social solidarity and antiquities met on Wednesday to discuss the initial plan for the immigration minister's proposal to prepare for the probable celebration of the Egyptian civilization and heritage month in Canada in July.

Minister of Immigration and Egyptian Expatriates' Affairs Nabila Makram met on Saturday with Minister of Antiquities Khaled al-Anany and Minister of Culture Inas Abdel Dayem to discuss Canadian Member of Parliament Sherif Sabawy’s bill to the legislature to recognize the month of July as Egyptian Heritage Month.

The meeting aims to benefit from bill 106 for 2019 that is being discussed at the moment in the Canadian Parliament of Ontario which declares July the Egyptian heritage month in Canada and to lay out a plan to advertise Egyptian archaeological discoveries and culture in Canada once the bill is approved.

The ministers agreed to prepare a memorandum on the proposal of the ceremony to be submitted by the immigration minister to the prime minister immediately after the Canadian Parliament issues its decision on June 6.

Declaring a month for Egyptian civilization and heritage in Canada came as a result of the efforts of MP Sherif Sabawy, Makram said, affirming Egypt's support for the efforts of the expats to strengthen relations between their homeland and the country where they reside.

The decision enables the Egyptian community to officially praise their homeland and is an extension of the celebration of the glorious July Revolution that commemorates Egypt's conversion to an independent republic.

The meeting delivers a message of encouragement to all Egyptian communities abroad that their government supports them in any effort being made for the benefit of the country, Makram said, commending the recent decision of the Canadian government to update the instructions for its citizens concerning traveling to Egypt.

Also, Anani suggested that the events include a number of lectures dealing with the history of Egypt since the Pharaonic era, shedding light on its cultural heritage and reviewing the modern archaeological discoveries and its significance in the human heritage.
He also suggested launching an initiative to invite people across Canada to visit Egypt.

Abdel Dayem suggested organizing a cultural convoy that includes a wide range of events to highlight the distinctive character of the Egyptian civilization and creativity.