Rights groups urge UN not to elect Egypt to its Human Rights Council

Human Rights Research Center
Sep 17
3 min read

September 17, 2025

HRRC urges the United Nations’ member states to vote against Egypt’s application to join the Human Rights Council. Despite promises from the Egyptian government, there have been no signs of improvement in human rights conditions within the country. It is critical Egypt make strides to ensure human rights protections for all its citizens.

Police patrolling the streets in Egypt [Image credit: Archive Photo via Committee for Justice]

A letter addressed to the UN has called for member states to abstain from voting for Egypt to the Human Rights Council in the October elections. The letter, which is signed by 23 Egyptian and international rights groups, states that they do not believe that the Egyptian government will “…uphold the highest standards of human rights law…”, and will also use membership to help shield themselves from human rights violations that are occurring in the country.

In January of this year Egypt was handed over 300 recommendations from the UPR (Universal Periodic Review), a comprehensive review of the human rights records of each UN member. The UPR requested assurances from Egypt in relation to the prevention of all forms of torture, the ratification of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, and a promise of complete press freedom.

The reality is, Egypt continues to aggressively crack down on any signs of dissent, and journalists within the country are constantly at risk of being imprisoned. Egypt continues to be one of the worst regimes for jailing journalists with 17 currently in prison, and the last decade has seen widespread silencing of any political opponents either online or in society at large.

This will be Egypt’s fourth UPR cycle, with the first commencing in 2010, and human rights groups have stated that, since 2019, conditions have worsened severely, especially in relation to vulnerable groups. Strict austerity measures have drastically affected those living in poverty with drastic cuts on health, education and a reduction to access of affordable housing.

The gender gap in Egypt is also substantial and shows little to no sign of narrowing. The World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2025 ranked Egypt as one of the ten worst countries when it comes to gender parity, with women making up just 16% of the working population, and having an estimated income that is less than 25% of what men earn.

The Egyptian government claims that progress has been made in relation to its human rights record, primarily with the introduction of its first National Human Rights Strategy. However, if the government followed this strategy, there would be greater freedom of speech for journalists and human rights activists. Implementing the strategy would also fight discrimination and promote equality for women in the country.

However, these announcements have been met with condemnation by human rights groups, who accuse the Egyptian government of doing nothing more than pushing “positive” public relations efforts, not a true reflection of what is happening on the ground. If Egypt is elected to the UN Human Rights Council, it is unlikely human rights conditions will improve, given the current lack of progress. Until conditions improve drastically, any admission into the Council must be halted.

Glossary

Abstain – To deliberately not vote for or against something.
Assurances – Promises or guarantees that something will be done or upheld.
Austerity – Strict economic measures taken by a government to reduce spending, often resulting in reduced public services.
Commencing – Beginning or starting.
Condemnation – Strong public disapproval or criticism of something.
Cycle – A repeating sequence of events that happens in the same order.
Dissent – Disagreement with or opposition to official policies, decisions, or opinions.
Gender gap – The difference in status, opportunities, or treatment between men and women.
Human Rights Council – A United Nations body responsible for promoting and protecting human rights around the world.
Imprisoned – Kept in prison as punishment or detention.
Parity – Equality, especially in terms of status, pay, or treatment.
Ratification – The official approval of a treaty, agreement, or law, making it legally valid.
Shield – To protect someone or something from harm or criticism.
Silencing – The act of preventing someone from speaking out or expressing opinions.
Universal Periodic Review (UPR) – A process through which the human rights records of all UN member states are regularly reviewed.
Violations – Acts of breaking laws, rules, or agreements; in human rights, actions that deny basic freedoms.

Sources

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Rights groups urge UN not to elect Egypt to its Human Rights Council

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