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Work is already commencing on the new Egyptian Constitution. Lesley Abdela and I have been in touch with Egyptian women activists over the past 16 years and they would very much appreciate counsel on what elements must be in the new Constitution guaranteeing women’s rights, including, significantly, the right to representation of women in the Parliament (see an appropriate excerpt on this from the Iraqi Constitution below). Lesley was working with activist women in Hilla, Iraq, in 2003 to get a guaranteed minimum quota for women parliamentarians written into the new Constitution. If it had not become a Constitutional requirement, it is estimated only one woman – from the Kurdish regions – would have entered Parliament, rather than nearly 30%.
I would appreciate it greatly if, as fast as possible, this email and the extracts below could be circulated worldwide such that recommendations and other examples from Constitutions which come to me can be passed to Egypt’s activist women at this truly critical time in the whole region’s history.
With best wishes
Tim
Tim Symonds
Eyecatcher/Shevolution
tim.symonds@shevolution.com
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Excerpts guaranteeing women’s rights from the post-Saddam Iraqi Constitution, the Namibian Constitution and the post-Apartheid South African Constitution.
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IRAQI CONSTITUTION
The Preamble
We, the people of Iraq, who have just risen from our stumble, and who are looking with confidence to the future through a republican, federal, democratic, pluralistic system, have resolved with the determination of our men, women, elderly, and youth to respect the rule of law, to establish justice and equality, to cast aside the politics of aggression, to pay attention to women and their rights, the elderly and their concerns, and children and their affairs, to spread the culture of diversity, and to defuse terrorism.
Section Two
Rights and Liberties
Chapter One
[Rights]
First: Civil and Political Rights
Article 14:
Iraqis are equal before the law without discrimination based on gender, race, ethnicity,
nationality, origin, colour, religion, sect, belief or opinion, or economic or social status.
Section Three
Federal Powers
Chapter one
The Council of Representatives
Article 49:
First: The Council of Representatives shall consist of a number of members, at a
ratio of one seat per 100,000 Iraqi persons representing the entire Iraqi people.
They shall be elected through a direct secret general ballot. The representation of
all components of the people shall be upheld in it.
Fourth: The elections law shall aim to achieve a percentage of representation for
women of not less than one-quarter of the members of the Council of
Representatives.
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NAMIBIAN CONSTITUTION
Article 10- Equality and Freedom from Discrimination (1) All persons shall be equal before the law. (2) No persons may be discriminated against on the grounds of sex, race, colour, ethnic origin, religion, creed or social or economic status.
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CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA NO. 108 OF 1996
CHAPTER 2 BILL OF RIGHTS
7. Rights.-( 1) This Bill of Rights is a cornerstone of democracy in South Africa. It enshrines the rights of all people in our country and affirms the democratic values of human dignity, equality and freedom.
9. Equality.- l) Everyone is equal before the law and has the right to equal protection and benefit of the law.
(3) The state may not unfairly discriminate directly or indirectly against anyone on one or more grounds, including race, gender, sex, pregnancy, marital status, ethnic or social origin, colour, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, conscience, belief, culture, language and birth.
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