Proposition 51K2973

Proposition de résolution relative aux convictions politiques et religieuses de Nawal El Saadawi et aux menaces de mort qu'elles ont entraînées.

General information ¶

Authors

CD&V Nathalie Muylle
Ecolo Zoé Genot
LE Brigitte Wiaux
MR Daniel Bacquelaine
Open Vld Hilde Vautmans
PS | SP Karine Lalieux
Vooruit Magda De Meyer, Annemie Roppe

Submission date

March 8, 2007

Official page

Visit

Status

Adopted

Requirement

Simple

Subjects

Egypt death penalty resolution of parliament human rights sexual mutilation

Voting ¶

Voted to adopt

CD&V Vooruit Ecolo LE PS | SP Open Vld N-VA MR FN VB

Party dissidents ¶

• Filip De Man (VB) voted to reject.
• Filip De Man (VB) voted to reject.

Contact form ¶

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Discussion ¶

April 26, 2007 | Plenary session (Chamber of representatives)

Full source

If I remember right, we had the honor of receiving Ms. El Saadawi here.

I will briefly discuss this issue, as it has been discussed in the committee on Tuesday.

The resolution addresses the suffering of Ms. Nawal El Saadawi and the death threats she receives. This resolution was submitted and supported in the committee primarily by the women among us, but also by, among others, colleague Cemal Cavdarli, who has given a whole explanation on female circumcision.

Specifically, on 28 February 2007, it became known that a highly authoritative Sunni Muslim spiritual, Sheikh Mohammed Sayed Tantawi, made a statement asking the Cairo Public Prosecutor to condemn Nawal El Saadawi. He accuses her under the Sharia of denial of faith because of a play published in Egypt that has been added to the list of forbidden literature.

The committee decided that the amended proposal was unanimously adopted.

I was impressed by the conversations I had with this very respectable lady. I say that for the whole room.

Mr. Speaker, colleagues, the figure of Nawal El Saadawi is, in fact, in this resolution for me the great reason to accuse women’s circumcision. In fact, we should talk about genital mutilation because what is done to those women is, of course, far more horrible than a male circumcision. With this resolution, we want to condemn the shocking lack of human rights, not only in Egypt, but throughout the world.

Colleagues, I think we can never get enough attention for women’s rights in the world. As a victim of genital mutilation, Nawal El Saadawi has really put this topic on the agenda. I am very pleased that we also follow this in this house. Female circumcision and genital mutilation, it is a practice in more than 20 countries around the world. 80 to 135 million women are mutilated today. Note, colleagues, maybe you do not know it, but also in our country according to a study of the University of Ghent at the moment 800 young girls are at risk of being sent to their country of origin during the great holiday to be horribly mutilated there for life.

On 11 May, we will hold a colloquium with the Population and Development Action Group in this Parliament. I ask you all to come here on Friday, May 11, in the morning. We will then sign a petition against genital mutilation. State Secretary Mandaila will also present her Belgian action plan.

I would very much like that Parliament will fully approve this resolution and that on 11 May we, as Belgian parliamentarians, assume our responsibility and fight against these horrible practices. This practice must be removed from the world. I will continue to fight for this and hopefully many colleagues with me. I thank you immediately.

Mr. Speaker, I would simply like to thank Mrs. De Meyer for making us work on this proposal for a resolution that we took into consideration on 8 March, International Women’s Day. It was important that this proposal should be unanimous for the meaning it represents.

What is happening? And the microphone? It should also be placed close to the mouth.

The problem, Mr. President, is that I cannot turn it off!

You can’t close it because you haven’t opened it.

Sometimes mysterious things happen here. As far as I know, that is a lot.