Egypt’s top judiciary body opens door to women for first time
Egyptian women can apply to join the State Council, a top judicial body, after 76 years of the council being limited to men.
CAIRO — The Egyptian State Council, one of the pillars of the judiciary, announced Jan. 27 that for the first time in its history, it was opening applications for the assistant delegate position of both men and women who completed degrees in law and Sharia in Egyptian universities in the year 2021.
In the 76 years since the council's establishment in 1946, the assistant delegate position remained limited to men.
The State Council announced back in March 2021 that it would allow women to join the council on the condition that they already held positions in the Administrative Prosecution Authority or the State Lawsuits Authority before requesting admittance to the council. The decision faced criticism at the time as overly restrictive.
The council, which includes about 3,000 judges, settles administrative disputes and review bills and other legislative actions.
