EGYPT: NATIONAL COUNCIL ON CHILDHOOD AND MOTHERHOOD

UNCLAS CAIRO 002030 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR G/TIP, NEA/PPD E.O. 12958: NA TAGS: PHUM KPAO PGOV PREL EG SUBJECT: EGYPT: NATIONAL COUNCIL ON CHILDHOOD AND MOTHERHOOD EFFORTS ON TRAFFICKING OF CHILDREN. Sensitive but unclassified. Please protect accordingly. ¶1. (U) This is an action request. See paras 7 and 8. ¶2. (SBU) SUMMARY: DCM Jones met with National Council on Childhood and Motherhood (NCCM) chief, Ambassador Mushira Khattab on June 25 to discuss Egypt's anti-trafficking strategy of the coming year. Khattab elaborated on efforts to push the draft "Child Protection Law," through Parliament. The "law" is a collection of amendments to criminal and welfare laws related to children, to include a new definition of trafficking in children. Khattab has asked for USG input on the articles related to trafficking (See para eight). She also said that NCCM's June 25-27 regional conference on Violence Against Children, featured a session on trafficking in children, a first in Egypt. Finally, the Minister of Information has agreed to air public service announcements on labor trafficking produced by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime in Vienna. NCCM is interested in additional public awareness products (see para seven). End summary. ¶3. (SBU) As head of the NCCM, and in her role as Vice Chair of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, Ambassador Mushira Khattab has compiled a comprehensive list of 149 articles relating to children, which either exist in various laws and codes and require amendment, or are new articles. During a recent meeting with the DCM, she requested USG comments on the articles related to trafficking. She wants input while the law is still in draft "as the definition of child trafficking will greatly affect the GOE's perceived efforts on TIP." See para eight for the text of the amendments and action requested. ¶4. (SBU) Khattab believes that the amendments will be adopted, but predicts it will be difficult as they include raising the marriage age for girls and the age of criminal liability for children. In fact, her amendments would affect about two-thirds of existing legislation on children. Once adopted, a public education campaign will be needed so that government officials and the public will accept them. Khattab has started her own outreach, meeting with ministry officials, and opposition and independent lawmakers, in an effort to gain broad-based government and opposition support for the amendments. She has obtained the support of the Sheikh of Al Azhar, the state's highest Muslim official, which she is using to publicly promote the reforms. She has also gained support from the Assistant Minister of Justice, some parliamentarians and governors. ¶5. (U) The NCCM, a state organization, organized the Third Regional Conference on Violence Against Children in Cairo June 25-27. The conference included representatives from most Arab countries and included a session dedicated to trafficking in children. In her presentation, Khattab stressed that delegations no longer limit their understanding of trafficking to cross-border movement. She stressed that countries must include early marriage and child labor in their definitions of trafficking, two significant regional phenomena. Egypt is focusing on these issues, as well as street children and their particular vulnerabilities in its national plan on violence against children. ¶6. (SBU) Khattab also told DCM that increasing public awareness on trafficking of adults and children is one of her top priorities. She successfully persuaded the Egyptian Minister of Information, Anas el Fiqqi, to direct Egyptian Television (ETV) - the official state television of Egypt - to air free of charge a public service announcement (PSA) on labor trafficking produced by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). ¶7. ACTION REQUEST: Post requests G/TIP assistance in obtaining additional public education materials, especially short spots that can be used on television, for use by Ambassador Khattab and the NCCM, including videos, documentaries and other awareness-raising tools. ¶8. ACTION REQUEST: The unofficial translation of the text of new proposed legislation on trafficking follows. Khattab has asked for USG comment on this draft. Embassy Cairo would like a front channel response from G/TIP soonest. Begin text. Article 125 (New): Punishment of no less than 6 months imprisonment if the perpetrator used means of force or threat against a child to commit a felony or a misdemeanor. Article 138 (New): Punishment of imprisonment for a period no less than five years and a fine no less than L.E. 50,000 and not to exceed L.E. 200,000 for anyone who sells, buys or displays selling or buying a child who is treated as a slave, or is abused through sex or labor, or is to be involved in any illegal acts. Article 139 (New): Punishment of two years imprisonment and a fine of no less than L.E. 10,000 and not to exceed L.E. 50,000 for anyone who imports, exports, prepares, displays, markets, or possesses depictions of obscene acts where children are involved or anything related to child sexual abuse. All amounts of money and equipment are to be confiscated. Article 141 (New): Punishment of one year imprisonment not to exceed two years and a fine no less than L.E. 2,000 and not exceed L.E. 5,000 for: - Using computer, internet, IT networks, animation to prepare or display or print or publish activities and obscene acts related to inciting children or using them in prostitution and obscene acts. - Using computer, internet, IT networks or animation to incite children to deviate or to exploit them in a crime or to commit activities or illegal or unethical acts, even if the crime did not take place. End text. Ricciardone