Egypt’s Sisi Appoints 98 Women to State Council Positions

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi announced the appointment of 98 women to positions on State Council in a historic decree issued on Tuesday, 5 October.

According to the decree, 48 women from the State Lawsuits Authority and the Administrative Prosecution and 50 women from the State Lawsuits Authority and the Administrative Prosecution will begin their work as assistant counselors and deputies at the State Council respectively.

In a meeting with the Supreme Council of Judicial Bodies in June, it was announced that Egyptian women would be allowed to work in the State Council and the Public Prosecution as of the first of this month, which he also announced would become an annual day of celebration for the Egyptian judiciary.

No woman had ever previously been appointed to the State Council, which has faced increased scrutiny for this exclusion.

According to the announcement, these decisions come in light of the President’s keenness to develop the role of the Supreme Council of Judicial Bodies and contribute to achieving full equality between men and women in assuming judicial functions in all judicial bodies.

The meeting also announced to equalize financial dues among the four judicial bodies and authorities, which includes the judiciary, the state council, the administrative prosecution and the State Lawsuits Authority in order to achieve equality in income among peers in every judicial body.

Earlier in March, marking International Women’s Day, Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi ordered the Ministry of Justice to allow Egyptian women to hold positions in the State Council and the Egyptian Public Prosecution.

The State Council, a judicial authority that examines administrative disputes and disciplinary cases involving public authorities, has not previously allowed women to take up positions as judges. A number of legal suits have been filed by Egyptian women in Egyptian courts against the State Council as a result of its discriminatory practices.