Egypt has been at the forefront of the Arab uprisings of 2011. These have been unprecedented protests by citizens reclaiming their rights not only to political freedoms but, critically, to a decent standard of living. Deep frustration, particularly among young people, about a lack of economic prospects, undignified living conditions, endemic poverty, stark inequalities and government corruption has fueled popular outrage just as much as frustrations about restrictive emergency laws, state brutality and the absence of democratic freedoms.

The success and sustainability of Egypt's democratic transition hinges on addressing these fundamental inequities. Reforms in Egypt, as well as in other countries of the region, must not only open up space for political participation. They must respond to the people's long-ignored demands for basic economic and social rights, and for structural changes to eradicate entrenched patterns of poverty, inequality and exclusion.

In particular, despite some progress in realizing the rights to health and education in Egypt, women's access to education, health services and work remain relatively low compared to other lower-middle income countries in the Middle East and North Africa. Strong gender disparities persist in health and education outcomes. These disparities were highlighted in a 2009 CESR factsheet produced in light of the Egypt’s presentation before the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) at its 45th session in January 2010, as well as its appearance before the Universal Periodic Review of the Human Rights Council in early 2010.

The Committee's Concluding Observations highlighted issues raised by CESR's fact sheet, such as disparities in access to education, discrimination in employment, maternal mortality, female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) and the large disadvantages experienced by rural women.

The constitutional reform process and any future administration following the presidential elections in September 2011 must recognize Egypt’s obligations to respect, protect and fulfill human rights, not only in regards to civil liberties, but also economic and social rights as well. CESR supports the efforts of several NGOs both in Egypt and in the larger Arab region that are working on ensuring that human rights are given top priority throughout the transition processes.

In March 2011, CESR published an article in Public Service Europe arguing that economic and social rights must be top of the EU's agenda in Egypt and the Arab world.

Further Resources

NGOs

Egypt Coalition on Economic and Social Rights

Arab NGO Network for Development (ANND)

Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights

Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR)

Land Center for Human Rights

Hisham Mubarak Law Center

Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies

Egyptian Organization for Human Rights

Other Reports

Universal Periodic Review of Egypt, 14th Session of the Human Rights Council

Egyptian NGOs CEDAW Coalition Shadow Report to the 45th Session of CEDAW

Budgetary and Human Rights Observatory: "A Portrait of Egypt - the squander of socio-economic rights in the implementation of the government development plan, 2002-2007"

UNICEF Study, Child Poverty and Disparities in Egypt: Building the Social Infrastructure for Egypt’s Future

UNDP, Egypt Human Development Report 2010: Youth in Egypt: Building our Future

Solidarity Center, The Struggle for Worker’s Rights in Egypt, 2010

Get Involved

To find out more about how the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) works, and how you can work with it, see CESR's manual on how to submit reports. There are also various legal means related to the UN to hold states to account for their legal human rights obligations.