MRS SUZANNE Mubarak presided over the National Council for Women's (NCW) 27th meeting on Saturday, reports Reem Leila. During the meeting, which was attended by NCW Secretary- General Farkhonda Hassan, Mrs Mubarak reviewed Egypt's report on the 1979 UN Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women which is due to be presented to the United Nations in Geneva next week. The international human rights accord seeks to achieve gender equality. Egypt ratified the treaty in 1981, though, according to Hassan, it has reservations over some of its articles, not least Article 16 which, she says, provides women with less rights than are required by Islamic Sharia. Mrs Mubarak was also briefed on preparations for the 10th NCW conference, scheduled for March.