"Okeil": We will continue holding training for NGOs and journalists on the UPR

As part of preparations for drafting a joint report to be submitted to the Universal Periodic Review mechanism, the Egyptian Coalition for the Universal Periodic Review completes its meetings with organizations.

The meeting discussed the human rights topics and issues that will be included in the report, which will be submitted on behalf of the Egyptian coalition to the universal periodic review mechanism, which discusses the human rights situation and the extent of progress made by the Egyptian government in accordance with its international pledges, in addition to the distribution of roles among the members of the coalition in drafting the report, each organization according to its specialization and geographical region within Egypt.

The coalition continues to hold training courses aimed at raising the capabilities of workers in civil society organizations to follow up on Egypt’s implementation of its international pledges, how to write and draft reports in accordance with international standards, and hold a set of activities to enhance mechanisms for civil society participation in all stages of the review process.

For his part, Ayman Okeil, The human rights expert and head of Maat for Peace, stressed the need to strengthen and raise societal awareness of the importance of the role of the universal periodic review mechanism in improving human rights conditions. Therefore, Maat for Peace, in cooperation with the Egyptian coalition for the Universal Periodic Review, will continue holding training courses for civil society organizations, journalists, and media professionals on the Universal Periodic Review; work and participation mechanisms.

 Okeil stressed that the coalition will continue the discussion sessions with all various stakeholders all over the republic, to come up with a number of practical recommendations and ideas that can be included and built upon in the coalition’s report that will be submitted in July 2024.

It is worth noting that Egypt's human rights file will be reviewed for the fourth time before the universal periodic review mechanism of the Human Rights Council in Geneva in January 2025, within the framework of the universal periodic review, according to which all countries of the world review their human rights file, without exception, every four and a half years.

Maat for Peace will hold a virtual training course for workers in civil society organizations that are members of the coalition on how to draft human rights reports and follow up on Egypt’s obligations in accordance with international standards at the end of May, in addition to another training course for organizations and workers in the field of media (journalists and correspondents) at Maat’s headquarters at the beginning of June 2024.