Egypt, S.Arabia step up trade ties through coordination council talks    Egypt reviews progress on $200m World Bank-funded waste management hub    Egypt urges Israel to accept Gaza deal amid intensifying fighting    SCZONE showcases investment opportunities to eight Japanese companies    Egypt, ADIB explore strategic partnership in digital healthcare, investment    SCZONE, Tokyo Metropolitan Government sign MoU on green hydrogen cooperation    Egypt welcomes international efforts for peace in Ukraine    Al-Sisi, Macron reaffirm strategic partnership, coordinate on Gaza crisis    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    Egyptian pound down vs. US dollar at Monday's close – CBE    Egypt's FM, Palestinian PM visit Rafah crossing to review Gaza aid    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.



NDP mulls abolishing religious affiliation field in ID cards
Published in Daily News Egypt on 25 - 03 - 2009

CAIRO: Just over a week after Egyptian Bahais won legal recognition of their right to obtain personal ID cards without having to lie about their faith, media sources report that the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) is studying plans to abolish the religious affiliation field on ID cards altogether.
Ali Eddin Helal, secretary general of the NDP s media committee, is quoted as saying during a seminar earlier this week that there was "general satisfaction within the party following the March 16, 2009 Supreme Administrative Court ruling which allows Bahais to leave blank the religious affiliation field on cards.
"Some hardliners might refuse this new direction within the NDP, but we will continue on this course in order to bring into effect the principle of citizenship, and in order to allow a culture of equality between all segments of Egyptian society to take root, news agencies quote Helal as saying about the NDP s study on the abolition of religious affiliation from ID cards.
Without ID cards Egyptian citizens cannot access state services such as education and healthcare, and risk criminal charges if they are unable to produce an ID card upon request by a law enforcement officer.
The necessity of including religious affiliation on ID cards is a long-running debate, both in Egypt and regionally.
In Lebanon, which recognizes 18 religions, the interior minister last month gave citizens the right to remove any reference to their religious affiliation on Civil Registry records, and allow them to insert a slash in the religious affiliation field. Previously Lebanese citizens were required to identify their religion.
Human Rights Watch said in a statement that while the decision was a positive step, "the government needs to take the next step and ensure that all Lebanese can have access to personal status laws that are not religiously-based and provide for equal treatment.
This point is echoed by Hossam Bahgat, director the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) which represented Egyptian Bahais during their legal fight against the interior ministry.
Currently, family laws governing matters such as marriage, divorce and inheritance are faith-based and ineluctable.
Bahgat points out that, unless it is accompanied by wider changes to Egyptian legislation, abolishment of the religious affiliation field on ID cards will not in itself grant Egyptians the freedom to make life decisions without interference by the state in their private lives.
Removing religious affiliation from ID cards is a positive step that would send an important message that state officials are and must be neutral vis-à-vis the private convictions of citizens in the daily exercise of their rights and duties, Bahgat told Daily News Egypt.
"Such an important step, however, would only remain symbolic if it was not coupled with the creation of an optional family law system that enables citizens who choose to keep their convictions private to exercise their right to marry and found a family. This is a state obligation that does not require replacing or abolishing the existing faith-based personal status laws for Muslims and Christians.


Clic here to read the story from its source.