MAAT finalizes its discussions on the executive bylaws for the NGOs Law
ElBoarai: criminal penalties and registration fees are the leading issues that have to be explained by the bylaws
Abdel Kawy: the Executive Bylaws Committee is keen to put controls to minimize the severity of the Law articles
Okeil: we seek to present recommendations consistent with Egypt’s international commitments to the decision makers
On the occasion of the Decision issued by the Cabinet of the formulation of a Drafting Committee to the Executive Bylaws for the Non-Governmental Associations and Institutions Law No. 70/2017, and in the wake of the efforts made by the Foundation during the community dialogue on the law draft, and the campaign led to stop the ratification of the law, MAAT for Peace, Development and Human Rights conducted a hearing session on the Executive Bylaws for the “Non-Governmental Associations and Institutions Law No. 70/2017”, on Monday, 28th of August 2017.
The hearing session hosted Dr. Ahmed ElBoarai, former Minister of Social Solidarity, Dr. Talaat Abdel Kawy, head of the Public Union for Non-Governmental Associations and Institutions, along with a selected group of civil work leaders, media professionals, academics, representatives of the national special councils, political parties, and the regional union for NGOs in Cairo, Giza and Qalioubia.
The session discussed the necessity to put explanations and restrictions for the law articles especially the linked ones to penalties, practicing political activity, proving the association’s reluctance to the administrative body inspection, and the adequacy of the headquarters to the activities organization.
The session recommended qualification of the administrative body on the law implementation, amending the registration fees to be regulated by a ministerial decree, revision of all the application received by the Apparatus managing the NGOs till the 24 hours previous to its meeting, availing the state development plan for NGOs, changing the period of the NGOs reconciliation to start from the date of the bylaws adoption instead of the law’s adoption, allowing the Public Union for NGOs to submit written consultations to the concerned courts on isolation and dissolution of associations, defining the administrative body officials whom have the right to judicial control, along with taking into consideration the time context for projects implementation while responding to grants applications.
Finally, the participants proposed amending some of the law articles imposing criminal penalties on administrative violations, restricting the freedom of workers in voluntary work due to their violation to Egypt’s international commitments, addition to explaining the lack of response on grants applications and surveys as acceptance not decline.
The sixth hearing session for the “Universal Periodic Review as a Tool to Enhance Public Policy During the Transitional Period” project, came in the context of the Foundation’s efforts to provide a group of solutions and alternatives on the policies level consistent with the 2014 UPR recommendations, as part of the project activities funded by the European Union during 2016-2017, with the aim of adopting a set of public policies consistent with Egypt’s international obligations especially the UPR recommendations 2014.
