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A training session for supporting the village women’s rights in political participation: 9th of July 2005

More than 97 people participated at the LCHR workshop held in Caritas Misr on Saturday the 9th of July 2005, they have demanded a document that contains all of the farmers demands (male and female) from the countryside in to be presented in the upcoming elections, as there were 40 farmers (male and female), 15 journalists, representatives from 16 associations, 4 researchers, 7 teachers, 6 workers, 4 doctors and 5 lawyers, all of them were from 13 governorates.
As the participants from Giza were 11 people, 5 from Qena, 7 from Fayoum, 30 from Cairo, 9 from El Behira, 5 from Daqahleya, 5 from Menya, 11 from Bany Swief, 3 from Kafr El Sheikh, 3 from Alexandria, 3 from Esma’aleya, one from Port Said, 4 from Qalubeya, in addition to the LCHR researchers and lawyers.
The workshop activities have started with an opening session: as the LCHR Executive director Mr. Karam Saber has welcomed the participants, then he spoke about the role of the LCHR in reinforcing farmers rights, and pointed at the role played by Dr Ibrahim Abaza Chairman of the LCHR Board of Trustees, on behalf of the LCHR he has presented this workshop to his spirit and confirmed that the LCHR is continuing to follow his foot steps to support and reinforce the values of democracy and human rights, then he spoke about the right in political participation for rural women.
Then spoke Dr. Mustafa Kamel El Sayed, Professor of Political Science at the Faculty of Economics – Cairo University, confirming that the international conditions have led to changing the systems and policies and systems in many areas in Asia and Africa, and about the political participation in Egypt, he said that the people in the countryside go to the election polls more than people in the city, then he spoke about the elections forgery, and at the end, he confirmed that the road is still long for people in Egypt to practice their rights.
Then started the first session: with Mr. Farid Zahran – Director of El Mahroosa center – as chairman, Dr. Ahmed Thabet - Professor of Political Science - Cairo University – has started speaking about the political, economic and social background and conditions for the participation of rural women confirming the importance of education in the village, as it helps women to know their rights … and he has confirmed the importance of canceling the emergency law to stop the police from violating citizens rights …
Then spoke Ms. Farida El Naqqash – Director of the Corporation and Women Assembly – about the reform initiatives, and confirmed that women cases have taken a big part in these initiatives, but the cases of the countryside especially rural women have been neglected either on the internal or external levels … and she has conformed that the deterioration of farmers conditions effect women rights negatively …
Then spoke Ms. Zainab Abu El Magd – a PHD student in George Town University and a researcher at the LCHR – about the role of rural women in the upcoming Presidential and People’s Assembly elections … she has confirmed that the national associations and parties must act to make a difference …
Then started the second session: with Mr. Said Abdel Hafez – Director of Moltaqa El Hewar Center for Human Rights – as chairman, Dr. Afaf Mar’ey – Director of the sociail Participation Association – confirmed the necessity of the participation of rural women and confirmed that the human rights organizations must work in the countryside, and she mentioned that the development programs have been unsuccessful especially in the countryside was because women didn’t participate in that process …
The spoke Ms. Zeinab Khair – a researcher at the Center for Women Cases – about the reasons behind the abstention of rural women from participating in the public life, and she linked that with the general political atmosphere, such as the problems of implementing the emergency law and torture in the police stations, and she has confirmed that the state must encourage the associations and parties to do their role in supporting the rights of rural women …
Then started the third session: with Mr. Mohamed Zare’a – Head of the Association for Helping Prisoners – as chairman, Mr. Mahmooud Mortada – Director of the Center for Alternative Development – spoke about the role of the national associations in supporting the participation of rural women … and confirmed that the following must be done to activate their participation:
- Raise the awareness of women and support their economic capacities…
- Teaching women and changing the legislations that hinder the right in participation …
- Solve the problems of the national associations …
Then started the fourth session: with Dr. Yousry Mustafa – a researcher and an activist in the field of human rights – as chairman, he has said that the LCHR must make a document containing all of the farmers demands so that they could present it to the nominees to consider it in their programs in order to vote for them, and the attendances have demanded the following:
- Canceling the emergency law and all of the laws that bind freedoms, and the release of all of the detainees …
- The necessity of the complete judiciary supervision on the electoral process without the interference of the ministry of the interior to guarantee its’ honesty and impartiality …
- Demanding the establishment of associations that mobilize farmers to raise the awareness of the people about the importance of political participation and spread knowledge about human rights …
- Demanding the existence of a permanent committee in the villages to educate women politically …
- Demanding the Ministry of Information to specify an hour a day for human rights organizations to present programs to raise farmers awareness about human rights in the Egyptian television, radio and newspapers …
The attendances have also confirmed that the farmers document must include the following demands:
- The state must adopt an alternative policy based on faith in farmers pivotal role in agriculture and providing food for the society, and their rights in farming their lands safely …
- These policies must consider farmers rights in limiting the rental contract with a period no less than five years and a rental value suitable with the income of the agrarian process, with an average of 1000 pounds per feddan (acre) a year.
- Give farmers both male and female –who have been evicted out of their lands- alternative lands no less than five feddans (acres) of the state’s reclaimed lands.
- Let farmers own the state’s lands with long term installments and interests no more than 2%.
- Take care of the irrigation and underground water projects, clean the waterways and canals and stop all no direct attempts to sell irrigation and drinking water to farmers.
- Drop the debts of the development and agrarian trust bank when implementing law no. 96 for the year 1992 … and allow farmers and small owners to payback these debts on long terms suitable to their income …
- Make specific plans with clear and suitable timetables and budgets to solve farmers problems in housing, health and education and all facilities and services that guarantee them a decent life, these plans mustn’t exceed five years …
The attendances asked the LCHR to distribute the workshop papers and report after issuing them, and distributing the farmers document on the Egyptian national associations and parties after preparing it to guarantee the participation of farmers and rural women in managing Egypt’s public affairs.