Egypt: NDP and Muslim Brotherhood MPs united together against child law amendment

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Arabic

During the the People's Assembly session held yesterday by the legislative committee to discuss the amendments proposed to Egypt's Child Code, members of National Democratic Party and Muslim Brotherhood Bloc, both "united" in rejecting some of the controversial provisions propsed.

sources said that the independent MP Mustafa Bakri, rejected, in particularl, the article realted to corporal punishment at home stressing that he would hit his children to discipline them: «who could put me in prison, because I "raise" my son», as he put it.

The provision setting the minimum age of marriage to 18 years old for both girls and boys, was considered to be not in conformity with Islamic law (Share'a). Also a number of Brotherhood members rejected the criminalization of Female Genital Mutilation, and the pre-marriage medical examination.

Some members noted that the whole code needs re-elaboration and restructure, because it seems to be a collection of parts from many other laws, the sources said that a Coptic lady MP strongly rejected the criminalization of physical violence against children, and said she has already hit her children as a means to discipline them.

Earlier, the Egyptian Organization for the Rights of the Child EORC (formerly the Egyptian Center for the Rights of the Child), appealed to parliament members to assume their responsibilities in promoting and protecting Children's Rights in Egypt and approve the Child Code amendments as well as the new several provision that were added.

EORC said that the changes are not just modifications made by the government in response to foreign or "western" pressure, but rather, they aim to meet urgent needs and address several persistent child rights issues.

It is obvious now, after time of practical application of the existing child code, that some of its provisions really need to be amended in order to ensure greater legislative protection for children's rights in Egypt. EORC said.
Read EORC's appeal here

 

Owner: Hoda Rashwanpdf: http://www.almasry-alyoum.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=98829Association: Almasry Alyoum

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