CAIRO: A coalition of Egyptian women's rights organizations demanded the abolishment of the National Council for Women, saying that it is no longer legitimate, and called for the non-recognition of it as the representative of the Egyptian women or feminist work in Egypt in international events. The coalition, which consists of 11 civil society organizations, stressed in a statement issued on Monday that the National Council for Women is an element of the former regime. It was established by Suzanne Mubarak, wife of the former president, and had a feeble position of the violations suffered by the Egyptian people since the outbreak of the revolution. The statement expressed astonishment at the intention of the Council to represent Egyptian women in a conference to be convened by the Commission on the Status of Egyptian Women by the United Nations in New York from the end of this week on the status of women in the world, despite accusations of some members of the Board on the issues under investigation after it was submitted documents condemning them to the Attorney General. The statement stressed the need to dissolve the National Council for Women and prevent its leaders from exercising any powers such as the representation of Egyptian women internally or abroad, and also called for the formation of a temporary committee of female figures known for their experience, efficiency, and by women's organizations and civil society to represent the Egyptian women at the current stage. Most prominent centers signing the statement were Nadim, the Center for Psychological Treatment and Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence, and a new women's organization, Nazra, which focuses on feminist studies. Eight other groups also signed the statement. BM
