The second round of dialogue included 20 civil society organisations in light of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi’s launching of the National Strategy for Human Rights and declaration of 2022 as the ‘Year of Civil Society'.

The participating organisations included the Union Against Harmful Practices towards Women and Children, the Egyptian Forum for Development, the Human Rights Dialogue, and Edraak Foundation for Development and Equality.

During a two-hour Zoom meeting, which was headed by the President of the NCHR Moushira Khattab with the participation members of the council, the participating NGOs presented their activities and vision for the implementation of the National Strategy for Human Rights.

Khattab stated that the meeting revealed the richness of the diversity and interdependence of activities, as well as the enthusiasm of NGOs, especially those led by young people, to participate in the implementation of the strategy.

The meeting covered a number of issues, such as the challenges posed by the increasing population; climate change; the concept of international peace and security changes; the importance of achieving peace in the Mediterranean region; controlling irregular migration; and implementing the Document on Human Fraternity, which was signed in the UAE in 2019 by Al-Azhar grand imam and the Pope Francis.

Khattab has recently held a series of separate meetings at the headquarters of the NCHR with the ambassador of the European Union and his assistants; the ambassadors of Switzerland, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, and the US; the resident coordinator of the UN; and a representative of the Red Cross, where she praised their enthusiasm to support Egypt’s efforts in implementing the National Human Rights Strategy.

El-Sisi urged civil society organisations to cooperate with state institutions to spread human rights awareness and to contribute to achieving the aspirations of the Egyptian people.

Also, during his speech at the closing ceremony of the fourth edition of the World Youth Forum that was held in Sharm El-Sheikh at the start of the year, El-Sisi directed the forum’s management and concerned institutions to establish a dialogue platform between the state, youths, and local as well as international civil society organisations to help in the implementation of the strategy.