by RANDA EL TAHAWY
ONE OF the iconic images of Egypt’s revolution was that of men and women standing together, united for positive change. But since then, women have struggled with sexual harassment and been sidelined in the political transition. Egyptian women, however, have never stopped fighting — and today they are finding many new allies.
Some Egyptians argue that democracy needs to come first, before worrying about women’s rights. Overcoming women’s marginalisation first, though, is actually essential to creating a truly democratic Egypt. The core issue is not only about women’s equality with men, but also about justice.
All too often, women have been treated as second class citizens and subject to injustice — they face harassment on the street, have been victims of virginity tests by the military, and are shut out of many opportunities to be involved in politics. For instance, women’s rights activists are not being consulted in the constitution drafting process. Even though women can legally hold positions as judges or high-ranking political offices, social pressure often means women are unable to attain them.
However, women’s rights activists have not been silent in the face of hurdles like these. Take Bothaina Kamel, who exercised her right to run for president, and was Egypt’s first female candidate for the office. Although she ultimately failed to gather enough signatures to be on the ballot, she demonstrated to other Egyptian women that they, too, should be able to participate in politics.
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