Secondperiodic reportofEgypt(CEDAW/C/13/Add.2 andAmend.I) 40.Attheinvitation oftheChairperson, Mr.Galal(Egypt) tookaplaceatthe Committee table. 41.Mr.GALAL(Egypt) saidthatEgyptbelieved intheequality ofallcitizens beforethelawandthattheyshouldhaveequalrights anddutieswithout discrimination onthebasisofsex,origin, language orreligion. Thatprinciple wasenshrined inarticle 40ofitsConstitution, andEgypt's lawsmadeitperfectly clearthatthereshouldbeequality between menandwomenintheeconomic and political fields. Therewas,however, anobvious difference between theoretical, dejureequality andthedefactosituation. Thelawwassubject tothecontrol of theorgansoftheState,whilethedefactosituation waslinkedwiththeculture, customs, heritage andstageofdevelopment ofeachsociety. /... JCEDAW/C/SR.164 English Page8 (Mr.Galal, Egypt) 42.Although thecontemporary worldwasmarked bytheshrinking ofdistances and theelimination ofboundaries, groupidentity wasnevertheless beingreinforced, as wastherighttopreserve thatidentity. Egyptwasacountry withanancient civilization goingbackmorethan7,000years, andwomenhadplayed aprominent roleinthatcivilization andhadreached thehighest positions intheState. EgyptwasalsoanIslamic country, andarticle 2ofitsConstitution statedthat Islamwasitsofficial Statereligion. Inpractice, thatmeantthatreligious truthwasvalued, whether Islamic, Christian orJewish, intheculture ofthe society. Islamrespected allreligions, andeducation therefore included classes onreligion forstudents ofdifferent faiths andpromoted general religious principles suchastolerance, equality, justice andcompassion. Personal status law,whichgoverned suchmatters asmarriage anddivorce, affected thepersonal affairs andreligious beliefs oftheindividual. Islamtherefore governed the personal statusofMuslims, andthelawsofotherreligions governed thatof non-Muslims. Marriage was,inIslam, asacredunion,butitwasalsoacivil contract, andEgyptian lawtherefore required thatmarriages shouldberegistered. ForCopticEgyptians, marriage wasasacrament andwastherefore solemnized bythe Church, recorded initsregisters andgoverned byitslaws. TheChurchitself was governed byaSupreme Council ofChurchleaders. Egyptian lawthusrespected personal freedom andfreedom ofbelief, andIslamic principles werenotimposed on thoseprofessing otherfaiths. 43.Thesituation ofwomeninEgyptwassimilar inmanyrespects tothatofwomen inotherdeveloping countries wherewomenhadnotachieved fullrightsasaresult ofsocialbackwardness. Thelowpercentage ofeducated womeninthepopulation was aresultofthesamephenomenon, asweretheirlowrateofparticipation inpublic lifeandtheirfailure totakefulladvantage ofalltherightsandprivileges accorded tothembylaw. 44.Therewasaworld-wide trendtowards conservatism, andoneofitsfeatures was theemergence offundamentalist concepts, whether inpolitics orreligion. Many countries weregoverned byparties ofaconservative otientation and,inreligious life,various groups wereturning towards religion andreligious values. While therehadbeenmanystudies ofso-called Islamic fundamentalism, thesame phenomenon wastobefoundinChristianity andJudaism. 45.Tomarkthetenthanniversary oftheadoption oftheConvention onthe Elimination ofAllFormsofDiscrimination against Women, asecondUnitedNations DecadeforWomenshould beproclaimed inordertoconsolidate theachievements of thefirstandpromote thefullintegration ofwomenindevelopment andtheirfull participation insociety onanequalfooting withmen. 46.Thequestions askedintheCommittee following thepresentation ofhis country's secondperiodic reportwouldbeaddressed intheorderinwhichthey appeared inannexIItodocument CEDAW/C/CRP.12.ICEDAW/C/SR.154 English Page9 (Mr.Galal, Egypt) General questions 47.Thereporthadbeenprepared in1987and,sincestatistical worktooksome considerable time,thestatistics itcontained related to1984and1985. More recentstatistics hadbeendistributed tomembers oftheCommittee, butthey remained inadequate owingtothecustomary time-lag inthepreparation of statistics indeveloping countries. 48.Stateshadasovereign legalrighttoenterreservations totheprov~s~ons of anyinternational convention and,fromthepractical pointofview,theexercise of
**Analysis**
The text appears to focus on the social and political aspects of Egypt's development, particularly with regards to the country's commitment to equality and human rights. It mentions the importance of education, employment, and personal freedom, but does not delve into economic development or industry-specific issues. The text also touches on the country's cultural and religious heritage, which suggests that the category of Culture may be relevant.

**Category**
Education, Culture