03/19/2022 Egypt (International Christian Concern) – In a precedent-setting event, 98 female judges took oath on March 3 to prepare for their positions with Egypt’s State Council. Their oath marks the first time a female judge will sit in the State Council courts since its inception 75 years ago. And yet, not one of the 98 female judges is a Christian.
The newly selected judges were chosen from lower court bodies. It is unclear whether no Christian females were selected from the lower entities or if there are none in those positions to begin with, neither of which represents Egypt well in a country that has roughly 10% Christian population. Photos released of the judges’ oath event show nearly all wearing Islamic veils.
The new female judges are sworn in not long after the first Coptic Christian was appointed to Egypt’s Supreme Constitutional Court, in a move that was largely praised but lacked real change for the average Christian.