National Women Council: Operations room to monitor women participation in presidential polls

Head of the National Women Council Dr. Maya Morsi said the Egyptian women are considered a sizable voting bloc that cannot be overlooked and therefore the council is keen on following up the election to ensure that they are given their constitutional right to vote.

During a meeting here on Wednesday with Ambassador Haifa Abu Ghazaleh, the head of the Arab League mission to follow up the upcoming presidential election in Egypt, Morsi said the council will set up an operations room to communicate with the follow-up teams, monitor the participation of women in the process and receive any inquiries or complaints during the process through a free hotline.

The operations room will remove any obstacles facing women during their participation in the elections, in coordination with the National Election Authority, she said, adding that more than 300 observers have been registered so far across the country.

She reviewed the efforts of the council in spreading awareness among women about their participation in the process through a campaign titled “Your Voice for Egypt’s Tomorrow” that was launched on January 28 and will run till mid-March.

The campaign includes organizing rallies in capitals of 27 governorates and meetings in all villages to urge the people to take part and cast their vote.

Abu Ghazaleh, the Arab League Assistant Secretary-General and Head of Media and Communication Sector, conveyed the greetings of Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Abul Gheit and his wishes for the success of the presidential elections in a way that meets the aspirations of the Egyptian people.

She praised the key role played by women in rendering the previous elections successful.

She also reviewed the role played by the Arab League mission in observing the Egyptian election, noting that this will be the league’s second participation in observing the presidential elections in Egypt in response to an invitation to the league’s chief from the National Election Authority.

The league wishes to support the democratic process in Egypt, she said, adding that more than 80 observers of 19 nationalities have been registered. As usual, the league’s mission will issue at the end of the elections a report including detailed observations and recommendations for improving future elections, she added.