CAIRO: The National Council for Women is calling for amendments to laws it considers discriminatory against women in an attempt to enforce gender equality, Emad El Naggar, member of the legislative committee at the council, told Daily News Egypt.
According to El Naggar, certain laws are biased against women, namely those that punish crimes like prostitution and adultery.
“In the case of prostitution, the law only punishes the woman, whereas the man walks free . also, the law punishes adulteresses by putting them in prison for two years, but not adulterers – unless they are caught in their marital homes, El Naggar explained.
Even the sentences meted out in adultery cases which end in murder, such as when a wife catches her husband with another woman and vice versa, are discriminatory.
“Women can be given life sentences or even executed, while men can be imprisoned for as little as 24 hours, says El Naggar.
On the other hand, Mahmoud Ashour, former deputy of Al-Azhar and member of the Islamic Research Center, said that Islam does not differentiate between men and women in punishing adultery.
“Both the man and the woman should be whipped in public, setting an example for others who will think twice before committing such crimes, Ashour said. Rape laws should be stricter for the same reason, said Ashour, “That way people can feel safe.
El Naggar said that the council’s proposal to amend these laws will go through the standard procedures before being presented to the People’s Assembly. But he is confident that the council’s demands will be met because these laws are “heavily discriminatory.
