The UN Women Organization lauded the strong initiative adopted by Egypt and its decision to work out the first national plan of action to put into effect UN resolution 1325 on women, peace and security. 

The proposed amendments to the constitution have granted women a fixed quota. If the amendments are approved, women will hold 25 percent of the total parliamentary seats by the power of law. 

The proposed bill stipulates that the number of total members of the Parliament must not be less than 450. 

Since the establishment of the Egyptian House, the number of women parliamentarians has never reached such percentage. 

CAIRO — Egypt has yet to pass a law needed to hold local elections, but hundreds of women will not be wallflowers waiting for an invitation to run for office. Thanks to an initiative dubbed “The Councils Are Ours,” potential candidates will be prepared when the elections are finally held for the first time in eight years.

“The merciful heart of the revolution,” a title given by late President Gamal Abdel Nasser to Hikmat Abu Zaid, the first Egyptian woman to be named a minister when she was appointed as the Minister of Social Affairs in 1962.

Fifty-six years later, Prime Minister Sherif Ismail appointed two new female ministers in the cabinet reshuffle, Rania al-Mashat as Minister of Tourism, and Enas Abdel Dayem as Minister of Culture.

Nadia Ahmed Abdou is the first female to be appointed governor in Egypt after she was sworn into office on Thursday as the head of the Nile Delta Governorate of Beheira.

Local rights groups criticized on Tuesday the legal provision on female genital mutilation (FGM) in its current format, proposing several amendments besides those put forth by the health ministry.