SCZONE showcases investment opportunities to eight Japanese companies    Egypt urges Israel to accept Gaza deal amid intensifying fighting    Egypt, ADIB explore strategic partnership in digital healthcare, investment    Egypt's PM meets Tokyo governor, witnesses signing of education agreements    Egypt welcomes international efforts for peace in Ukraine    Al-Sisi, Macron reaffirm strategic partnership, coordinate on Gaza crisis    Egypt's Sisi, France's Macron discuss Gaza ceasefire efforts in phone call    Contact Reports Strong 1H-2025 on Financing, Insurance Gains    Egypt, India's BDR Group in talks to establish biologics, cancer drug facility    AUC graduates first cohort of film industry business certificate    Egypt to tighten waste rules, cut rice straw fees to curb pollution    Indian tourist arrivals to Egypt jump 18.8% in H1-2025: ministry data    Egyptian pound down vs. US dollar at Monday's close – CBE    Egypt prepares unified stance ahead of COP30 in Brazil    Egypt recovers collection of ancient artefacts from Netherlands    Egypt harvests 315,000 cubic metres of rainwater in Sinai as part of flash flood protection measures    Egypt, Namibia explore closer pharmaceutical cooperation    Fitch Ratings: ASEAN Islamic finance set to surpass $1t by 2026-end    Renowned Egyptian novelist Sonallah Ibrahim dies at 88    Egyptian, Ugandan Presidents open business forum to boost trade    Al-Sisi says any party thinking Egypt will neglect water rights is 'completely mistaken'    Egypt's Sisi warns against unilateral Nile measures, reaffirms Egypt's water security stance    Egypt's Sisi, Uganda's Museveni discuss boosting ties    Egypt, Huawei explore healthcare digital transformation cooperation    Egypt's Sisi, Sudan's Idris discuss strategic ties, stability    Egypt to inaugurate Grand Egyptian Museum on 1 November    Greco-Roman rock-cut tombs unearthed in Egypt's Aswan    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Draft law combating sexual harassment is a positive yet insufficient step: Women's rights advocates
Published in Daily News Egypt on 10 - 05 - 2014

The new amendments to the Penal Code regarding sexual harassment are an "important yet insufficient step in fighting harassment", said Fatma Khafagy, Director Ombudswoman for Gender Equality at the National Council for Women (NCW).
Interim Prime Minister Ibrahim Mehleb's cabinet passed on Wednesday a draft law amending articles in the Penal Code in a manner which creates harsher punishment for sexual harassment.
The legislation was initially drafted in April before being sent to the Ministry of Justice for revision, reported state-run Al-Ahram.
Khafagy applauded the draft legislation for tackling sexual harassment of both genders. She said the NCW was consulted regarding the draft, adding that the cabinet took some of the council's comments into consideration, including the aforementioned point.
Fathi Farid, coordinator of the anti-sexual harassment I Saw Harassment (Shoft Tahrosh) initiative, nevertheless criticised this clause, saying that men in Egypt do not suffer from sexual harassment. He added that it might be used against female victims reporting harassment they have been subjected to, as the harasser could claim he was harassed by the victim to escape punishment.
Khafagi described the punishments listed in the draft as "reasonable", especially the fines. The draft deals with harassment as a crime punishable by a minimum of six months in prison which could expand to five years, depending on its type. It also fines the harasser from EGP 3,000 to EGP 50,000.
"Maximising the punishments might cause the judge to sympathise with the harasser," Khafagy said. "It could therefore lead to impunity."
Farid meanwhile said the penalties are not "deterrent", describing the most severe punishment cited in the draft as "farcical".
"This draft [was created] to adapt to the phenomenon of sexual harassment rather than eradicate it," he said.
Both Khafagy and Farid criticised the draft legislation for "burdening" the victim, who must take the harasser to the police and provide at least two witnesses of the harassment incident in order for the law to be enforced.
Khafagy stressed that security forces must be present in areas where sexual harassment has been reported to be prevalent and during peak times. Both added that harassers must be rehabilitated to prevent them from repeating the crime.
"The cabinet must also work on a more comprehensive law to tackle violence against women in general, including sexual harassment," Khafagy said.
The NCW had already drafted a law addressing violence against women. The law had initially been submitted to ousted President Mohamed Morsi's administration last year. It was submitted again to interim President Adly Mansour, but it is yet to be issued.
The amended legislation expands the definition of sexual harassment, stretching it to include the use of sexual hints through "signs", whether verbally or physically. The crime is punishable by at least six months in prison and/or a fine ranging from EGP 3,000 to EGP 5,000.
The legislation also punishes harassers who chase the victim by at least one year in prison and/or an EGP 5,000 to 10,000 fine. The punishments are doubled in the case of recurrence.
The amendments define sexual harassment as hassling the victim for sexual gain, the punishment for it being at least a year in prison and/or a fine between EGP 10,000 and EGP 20,000.
The draft legislation maximises the punishment in the case that the harasser is in a position allowing him to exercise pressure on the victim, for example: being the victim's guardian, professor, boss or paid-servant. In such cases, harassment is punishable by three to five years in prison and an EGP 20,000 to EGP 50,000 fine.
Egypt's women's rights organisations have long been calling for laws to address the proliferating phenomenon of sexual harassment.
A report issued by the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women in April 2013 revealed that an overwhelming majority of Egyptian women (99.3%) have experienced some sort of sexual harassment, and 96.5% of women had been sexually assaulted.


Clic here to read the story from its source.