Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said on Sunday the government is keen to see that a long-awaited new personal status law will be "balanced," and "serves the public's interest." In a speech during a ceremony marking Mother's Day, El-Sisi said that "the state is keen to see that the law is balanced for everyone…for the mom and the dad." "We will hear from everyone through a societal dialogue in order for the law to meet all demands and serves the public's interest," he said. The president's statements come amid a controversy stirred by several parts of the draft bill for a new Personal Status Law, which regulates marriage, divorce, and guardianship and custody issues. In late February, the speaker of the House of Representaives sent the draft bill, which was prepared by the cabinet, to a joint parliamentary committee for review. Last week, an online campaign was launched under a hashtag "guardianship is my right" where many women shared personal stories on how the current personal status law obstructed their right in making decisions for themselves and their children without the approval of a male guardian. "However, the law is not everything," El-Sisi said, as he stressed the necessity of maintaining a suitable climate for children in the case their parents are separated.
