On March 24, iKNOW Politics participated in International IDEA event in Cairo titled "A discussion round table about democratic transition in Egypt- Challenges and Needs".
The aim of the meeting was to discuss and exchange different views about the transitional phase that Egypt is witnessing nowadays and how could all stakeholders play their important role contributing to the establishment of building a democratic system particularly women.
International IDEA through such consultations wanted to identify the different aspects that it could engage with to provide technical support in a fast and efficient way especially in relation to constitutional, legal and political reform, and building the capacity of political parties either the newly established or the old ones, developing the electoral system, and women empowerment and real participation in the process of democratization.
Mr. Ayman Ayoub, the Reginal Manager of West Asia and North Africa Programme in International IDEA announced that the meeting is based on International IDEA belief that the sustainability of democracy should emerge from the society reflecting its values, civilization and the beliefs of the citizens of the states. He opened the discussion by saying that democracy could not be imported, exported or even described and the most that could be achieved by International Specialized Organizations is to support and empower the people who build a national democratic system.
The attendees were a mix of representatives of different political affiliations as well as both women and men political activists.
When discussing the current situation in Egypt, The Regional coordinator of iKNOW Politics, Ms. Doaa Abdelaal explained that through the network enganment with women political activits in Egypt that Egyptian women movement is currently working to startegize their steps in this period following the Jan25 Revolution, which will witness a parlimaterian election in September 2011 followed by formualtion of a committee to draft a new Egyptian Constitution.
Discussion centered around different issues inlcuding
- constitution building and the suitable time that should be available to finalize the constition. Mr. Zaid Ali, of International IDEA presented orally similar experiences from South Africa, Iraq and Kenya.
- women parliamentarian quota as implemented in Egypt and its pros and cons
- media utilization in buidling democracy including community radios, printed lefalets with simple language explaining terms as "Constitution", "Voting", or subjects as "How to chose your representative?"
- New media and how it could be utilized for political empoweremnet for differnet candidtaes.
Mentioning the next steps by International IDEA in Egypt, Mr. Ayoub confirmed with the participants that the organization will keep in touch with all of them in order to get together and discuss important aspects and matters collectively.
He also added that IDEA will be looking forward to working with different organizations in various initiatives that only aim to support locale efforts to build a genuinely Egyptian democracy that becomes an example to be followed.
iKNOW Politics Regional Coordinator of MENA, also mentioned that different materials and resources are available form the five partners of the project that could be used to cover the above issues and others and they are all downloadable in Arabic as well as English, French and Spanish when available.
The different participants affirmed that they look forward to translating the many ideas shared in the group into joint concrete initiatives that would hopefully help keep and strengthen this spirit of cooperation and inclusiveness.
On March 24, iKNOW Politics participated in International IDEA event in Cairo titled "A discussion round table about democratic transition in Egypt- Challenges and Needs".
The aim of the meeting was to discuss and exchange different views about the transitional phase that Egypt is witnessing nowadays and how could all stakeholders play their important role contributing to the establishment of building a democratic system particularly women.
International IDEA through such consultations wanted to identify the different aspects that it could engage with to provide technical support in a fast and efficient way especially in relation to constitutional, legal and political reform, and building the capacity of political parties either the newly established or the old ones, developing the electoral system, and women empowerment and real participation in the process of democratization.
Mr. Ayman Ayoub, the Reginal Manager of West Asia and North Africa Programme in International IDEA announced that the meeting is based on International IDEA belief that the sustainability of democracy should emerge from the society reflecting its values, civilization and the beliefs of the citizens of the states. He opened the discussion by saying that democracy could not be imported, exported or even described and the most that could be achieved by International Specialized Organizations is to support and empower the people who build a national democratic system.
The attendees were a mix of representatives of different political affiliations as well as both women and men political activists.
When discussing the current situation in Egypt, The Regional coordinator of iKNOW Politics, Ms. Doaa Abdelaal explained that through the network enganment with women political activits in Egypt that Egyptian women movement is currently working to startegize their steps in this period following the Jan25 Revolution, which will witness a parlimaterian election in September 2011 followed by formualtion of a committee to draft a new Egyptian Constitution.
Discussion centered around different issues inlcuding
- constitution building and the suitable time that should be available to finalize the constition. Mr. Zaid Ali, of International IDEA presented orally similar experiences from South Africa, Iraq and Kenya.
- women parliamentarian quota as implemented in Egypt and its pros and cons
- media utilization in buidling democracy including community radios, printed lefalets with simple language explaining terms as "Constitution", "Voting", or subjects as "How to chose your representative?"
- New media and how it could be utilized for political empoweremnet for differnet candidtaes.
Mentioning the next steps by International IDEA in Egypt, Mr. Ayoub confirmed with the participants that the organization will keep in touch with all of them in order to get together and discuss important aspects and matters collectively.
He also added that IDEA will be looking forward to working with different organizations in various initiatives that only aim to support locale efforts to build a genuinely Egyptian democracy that becomes an example to be followed.
iKNOW Politics Regional Coordinator of MENA, also mentioned that different materials and resources are available form the five partners of the project that could be used to cover the above issues and others and they are all downloadable in Arabic as well as English, French and Spanish when available.
The different participants affirmed that they look forward to translating the many ideas shared in the group into joint concrete initiatives that would hopefully help keep and strengthen this spirit of cooperation and inclusiveness.