It demands particular courage to defend women’s rights in Egyptian society.
Nawal El-Sa’adawi, one of the few contemporary women activists, lost her
job in the public health administration years ago for speaking out against
rural women’s suppression by men, and lived in self-imposed exile for several
years for fear of being targeted by Islamists. She cannot voice her protest in
the country any longer. Three books she had published abroad and wanted
to present at the Cairo Book Fair were confiscated in February 2001 at the
port of Alexandria (<http://www.alahali.com/27-2-2001/sub6-3.html>). The
Arab Women’s Solidarity Association (AWSA), of which she was chairwoman
and which had a consultative status with the United Nations Economic and
Social Council, was dissolved by the government without explanation.