Egypt has taken very significant steps this year to improve human rights conditions in efforts to embody the principles that were called for by the January 25 and June 30 revolutions, the country's foreign ministry said on Tuesday.

In a statement released to mark Human Rights Day, the ministry cited the constitutional amendments that were endorsed to empower women in various fields and ensure a suitable representation of the county’s labourers, peasants, Christians, people with disabilities and Egyptians living abroad in the parliament.

The ministry also pointed to a law approved by the parliament to organise civil society work in Egypt.

The ministry said that the government is finalising work to launch the Permanent Supreme Committee for Human Rights which will be responsible for drafting a comprehensive national strategy for human rights.

The ministry also said that the recommendations issued to Egypt after its 3rd Universal Periodic Review session at the UN Human Rights Council (UNOHR) reflect the international interest in backing the national efforts to improve human rights.

Egypt will proceed with efforts to build a modern democratic state that is based on values of citizenship and an independent judiciary, it asserted