A file photo of Egypt's PM Mostafa Madbouly (Photo: Ahram Arabic website)
Egypt's Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly issued a decree on Friday establishing a higher committee on human rights, Al-Ahram Arabic website reported.
According to Al-Ahram, the new committee's members include representatives from the defence, justice, social solidarity, interior and parliamentary affairs ministries.
The committee will be headed either by the foreign minister or by someone the delegates.
It will also include representatives from Egypt's General Intelligence Service, the Administrative Control Authority, the National Council for Women, the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood, the public prosecution, the State Information Service, and the National Council for Disability Affairs.
The council also has the right to get help from outside experts in the human rights field.
The new committee will be tasked to deal with human rights issues and respond to allegations made against Egypt in that regard.
The committee will be responsible for outlining a national strategy for human rights and plans to implement them. It will also draw up a unified vision to be promoted in international and regional forums.
The new body will also compile the national report from Egypt, which is submitted to the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism of the UN Human Rights Council, and follow up on the implementation of the recommendations that Egypt accepts.
It will be also assigned to follow up on the implementation of Egypt's existing international obligations in respect to human rights.
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