text: thatrightpromoted theaccession ofStatestosuchconventions inthatit reflected theirhonesty indeclaring openlythattheywereunabletoapply particular provisions. ItwasbetterforaStatetoaccedetoaconvention with reservations thannottodosoatall.InEgypt's case,itsreservations tothe Convention wereduetoacombination offactors relating toitsheritage and religion andtoitslawsandsystemofgovernment. Lawwas,afterall,a reflection ofeconomic, socialandcultural development. rhereservation madewith respect toarticle 9concerned thenationality ofachildofanEgyptian woman married toanalien, andthatmatter wasstillunderdiscussion inlegaland political circles. Article 2 49.ThelawoftheStatewasaunitary law.Islamic law,assuch,wasnot followed inEgypt,although therewerelegalprinciples derived fromIslamwhich governed personal status lawforMuslims. Article 2oftheConvention was,onthe whole,inconformity withEgyptian law,andtherighttolitigate wasguaranteed to menandwomenonanequalfooting. Discrimination waspunishable bylaw;thePenal Codestipulated thatanyperson whofeltthatheorshehadsuffered discrimination couldtakelegalaction, andtheCivilCodemadeallowance forcompensation. The lawregulating themulti-party systemstipulated thatnopartycouldbeformedon thebasisofdiscrimination ongrounds ofsex,originorreligion. Sanctions in thecaseofdiscrimination weredetermined byajudge,inaccordance withthe nature andgravity oftheviolation orofthedamagesuffered. rherehadbeenmany casesofwomentakinglegalactiontoenforce theirrightsundertheConstitution. 50.Rights andresponsibilities wereoftwokinds. Inthecaseofgeneral rights andresponsibilities relating topolitical andeconomic lifeandtheroleofthe citizen insociety, nodistinction wasmadeongrounds ofsexorreligion underthe Constitution andlegislation. However, therightsandresponsibilities ofMuslims withregardtofamilylawweregoverned bytherulesofIslamic lawandthoseof CoptsbytheCoptic Supreme Council. Article 4 51.Thesuccess oftemporary special measures toimprove equality between menand womendepended onthedevelopment ofindividual awareness inmenandwomenwith regardtoasserting theirrights. Inrecentyears, womenhadentered newfieldsof /...CEDAW/C/SR.164 English Page10 (Mr.Galal, Egypt) work,suchasthepolice andcivilaviation, andhadreached leading positions in thediplomatic corps. Thereweretwowomenambassadors in"important European capitals, andwomenofambassadorial rankintheMinistry ofForeign Affairs and serving attheunder-secretary levelinanumberofotherministries. Article 5 52.Programmes toeducate thepublicabouttheequalstatusandrightsofwomen included thoseconducted inthewomen's pagesofthenational newspapers andin women's magazines. Meetings wereheldtodiscuss women's issues, suchasthe recentConference onWomenandDevelopment, andwomen's non-governmental organizations participated ininternational meetings andseminars. TheNational Commission forWomenmonitored thesituation ofwomenandmadeproposals fortheir advancement. TheCommission hadconducted afieldsurveyoftheneedsofEgyptian women,inwhichvarious Stateagencies and'theCentreforSocialResearch had participated. ANational Council forChildren andMothers hadbeenestablished in 1988,anditconcerned itselfwithallmatters relating tochildren andtowomenin theircapacity asmothers. Article 6 53.Traffic inwomenandtheexploitation ofprostitution wereforbidden bylaw. ThePenalCodeimposed apenalty ofhardlabourforlifeforabduction andthe deathpenalty forabduction andsubsequent rape,anditensured protection for minors. Article 7 54.LawNo.114,theElection Law,hadbeenamended toremovethereservation of oneseatforwomen. Therepealofthespecial quotaforwomeninparliament was notincompatible witharticle 4oftheConvention. Thatarticle statedthat adoption oftemporary special measures aim~dataccelerating defactoequality shouldnotbeconsidered discrimination, anditmadenoadverse reference tothe discontinuation ofsuchmeasures. Thelawinquestion hadbeenrepealed for procedural reasons relating toitspromulgation andnotbecause ofitstenor. 55.Withregardtotheproportion ofwomentomenonballotlists,thelaw relating topolitical ri~htsstatedthatallpersons, bothmenandwomen, whowere entitled toexercise political rightsmustbeentered onsuchlists. Registration wasthusautomatic forallpersons overtheageof18.Theproportion ofwomenwho actually exercised theirpolitical rightswaslimited incomparison tothatofmen,
analysis: The text appears to be discussing the situation of women's rights and gender equality in Egypt, including their representation in parliament, education, employment, and political participation. It also touches on the country's laws and regulations regarding discrimination, prostitution, and child protection. The text seems to be evaluating Egypt's compliance with the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).