Egyptian women in the modern age – equal rights under the
law?
In the socialist era several new laws were passed securing women’s rights,
in particular in the labour force with such benefits as paid maternity leave, and
during the 1970s some laws were changed alleviating the constraints placed on
women by the personal status laws. In the current climate of Islamization a
reversal is taking place. The women’s movement in Egypt has lost its impetus
even though gender inequity prevails in many spheres, for example in the
inheritance laws. Considering secular viewpoints has become unacceptable.
The terms ‘emancipation’ and ‘feminism’ have fallen out of favour for being
related to a Westernization that it is feared might lead Egyptian women to
a betrayal of their own culture. During the 1995 UN World Conference on
Population, held in Cairo, there was a strong polarization of views between
Western and Islamic representatives. However, the various groups unanim-
ously demanded equal voting rights for all women, the abolition of all kinds
of discrimination against women and of FGM (Female Genital Mutilation =
circumcision), which is widely practised in Egypt and receives the support of
Muslim religious leaders in spite of the fact that as such it is not Quranic.
Various speakers at the conference stressed that it is not Islam which is hos-
tile to women but the conservative male establishment, and attacked the
representatives of the Al-Azhar University, considered to be the guardians of
orthodox Islam.
On the whole, political apathy prevails among the women of Egypt today,
exemplified by the fact that their presence at the polls is extremely weak.
For the People’s Assembly or the shura council, female members have to be
appointed according to a quota system to overcome at least in part gender
imbalance. At the same time women who run in the elections have a small
chance of success.
law?
In the socialist era several new laws were passed securing women’s rights,
in particular in the labour force with such benefits as paid maternity leave, and
during the 1970s some laws were changed alleviating the constraints placed on
women by the personal status laws. In the current climate of Islamization a
reversal is taking place. The women’s movement in Egypt has lost its impetus
even though gender inequity prevails in many spheres, for example in the
inheritance laws. Considering secular viewpoints has become unacceptable.
The terms ‘emancipation’ and ‘feminism’ have fallen out of favour for being
related to a Westernization that it is feared might lead Egyptian women to
a betrayal of their own culture. During the 1995 UN World Conference on
Population, held in Cairo, there was a strong polarization of views between
Western and Islamic representatives. However, the various groups unanim-
ously demanded equal voting rights for all women, the abolition of all kinds
of discrimination against women and of FGM (Female Genital Mutilation =
circumcision), which is widely practised in Egypt and receives the support of
Muslim religious leaders in spite of the fact that as such it is not Quranic.
Various speakers at the conference stressed that it is not Islam which is hos-
tile to women but the conservative male establishment, and attacked the
representatives of the Al-Azhar University, considered to be the guardians of
orthodox Islam.
On the whole, political apathy prevails among the women of Egypt today,
exemplified by the fact that their presence at the polls is extremely weak.
For the People’s Assembly or the shura council, female members have to be
appointed according to a quota system to overcome at least in part gender
imbalance. At the same time women who run in the elections have a small
chance of success.
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