Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said Saturday the state has prepared its new human rights strategy through a scientific and consultative approaches that included expanded community dialogue and discussions involving the National Council for Human Rights, parliament, and civil society organizations. "Human rights constitute universal, integrated and interdependent values, and therefore must be dealt with comprehensively, and in a fair and equal manner," Shoukry said during the launch by President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi of Egypt's National Strategy for Human Rights at an event in the New Administrative Capital. The state aims to develop a comprehensive approach to human rights as an integral part of implementing the country's national development project, presidential spokesman Bassam Rady said in a statement on Saturday. The strategy is the "first comprehensive and long-term homegrown plan in the human rights field in Egypt," Rady said. The event was attended by a number of ministers, state officials and representatives of human rights and civil society groups. Shoukry added that "over the course of a year, the state has studied human rights recommendations put forth by Egypt's National Council for Human Rights and coordinated with more than 30 ministries and bodies to assess the requirements of their implementation." He explained that Egypt has assessed the final recommendations issued by regional and international human rights mechanisms and studied the human rights strategies of more than 30 countries. The strategy spans five years and is based on four main axes: the civilian and political rights; economic, social and cultural rights; rights of women, children, disabled people, youth and the elderly; and education and capacity building in the human rights field. Shoukry added that the state aims to achieve progress in these four axes in a balanced way through the legislative and institutional development. Shoukry noted that human rights should also not ignore national and regional particularities as well as religious and cultural backgrounds. "What is reasonable and prevalent in one society is not necessarily acceptable in other societies," Shoukry said, affirming that "recognizing and respecting this diversity and specificity is an added value and an activation of human rights." The country's top diplomat said developing the human rights situation is a "continuous and cumulative process that begins with the commitment of state institutions to their duties towards their citizens to uphold their dignity and safeguard their rights." "We have a sincere determination to uphold the dignity of the Egyptian citizens and guarantee equal opportunities," Shoukry stated. He also explained that the protection of human rights constitutes a governmental policy and goal and is backed by an "independent and impartial judiciary that acts as a guarantor of the rule of law and the protection of rights."
