National Council for Human Rights Receives European Parliament Delegation Led by the Chair of the Subcommittee on Human Rights

The National Council for Human Rights (NCHR), chaired by Dr. Ahmed Ihab Gamaleldin, received a delegation from the European Parliament led by Mr. Mounir Satouri, Chair of the Subcommittee on Human Rights, as part of the ongoing dialogue between the two sides on issues of mutual interest related to human rights and furthering cooperation between Egypt and the European Union.

The meeting was attended on behalf of the NCHR by Mr. Mohamed Anwar El-Sadat, Vice President of the NCHR, together with Board Members Mr. Ezzat Ibrahim, Mr. Alaa Shalaby, Dr. Wafaa Benjamin, Ambassador Dr. Mahi Abdel Latif, Dr. Sherine Farag, Ms. Yara Kassem, Mr. Ahmed Badawy and Mr. Mohamed Osman, in addition to Dr. Islam Rehan from NCHR's Technical Secretariat.

The European Parliament delegation included Mr. Antonio López-Istúriz, Ms. Sandra Gómez López, and Ms. Maria Noichl, as well as a number of political advisers from the European Parliament and representatives of the Delegation of the European Union to the Arab Republic of Egypt.

During the meeting, NCHR presented and explained its constitutional mandate and its role in the promotion and protection of human rights, particularly with regard to monitoring the human rights situation in Egypt, issuing recommendations and observations aimed at strengthening human rights and fundamental freedoms, receiving complaints, conducting visits to rehabilitation and correctional centers, other places of detention, and mental health institutions, providing legal assistance, promoting human rights culture, following up on Egypt's international human rights obligations, and expressing opinions on draft legislation related to human rights.

The meeting also addressed the NCHR's vision for advancing legislative and institutional reforms aimed at strengthening human rights guarantees in Egypt, particularly in the areas of freedom of expression and criminal justice, in addition to discussing a number of other issues pertaining to human rights in Egypt.

The two sides further discussed national efforts to combat violence against women and children. In this context, the Council outlined its monitoring of these efforts and its support for measures aimed at enhancing the protection of women and children, as well as the progress achieved in combating female genital mutilation.

The meeting concluded with an exchange of views on a range of issues of mutual interest. Both sides reaffirmed the importance of maintaining dialogue and cooperation between the National Council for Human Rights and the European Parliament in a manner that contributes to further strengthening the strategic partnership between Egypt and the European Union.