One of the social groups most affected by human rights violations in Egypt is women, a minority group protected by several international conventions. With one of the highest rates of female genital mutilation (accounts vary from 80-97% having experienced some form of FGM), and plagued by issues such as wage gaps, unfair marriage and divorce practices and many other injustices, the Egyptian female experience is one plagued by human rights abuses. However, women have proved central to the revolutionary movement of Egypt.
Many took part in the demonstrations themselves and were present on Facebook and the news. Interestingly, the women of the revolution came from a wide range of political, social and ideological groups, with some wearing head scarves symbolizing their religious conservatism while others demonstrated their freedom to kiss a friend or smoke cigarettes in public. Many women organized protests and played an important role in communicating events to the outside world, particularly through blogging. Bloggers such as Leil Zahra Mortada and Mona Eltahawy used multiple social media outlets to tell their story. This is perhaps a direct result of the higher levels of education among young Egyptian women, who currently make up half of the university population.
But this empowerment is seen to be rather short lived, and comes at a high price. On International Women's Day on March 8th, a group of 200 men charged women holding a peaceful demonstration in Tahrir Square. The women were pulled to the ground, dragged, groped and sexually harassed while military figures and police stood by. Though many women had hoped that their role in the revolution would cause them to be seen as equals, it is clear that deep seated misogyny is much harder to overhaul than the government. While this was the most blatant and violent display of misogyny in the wake of the revolution, it is by no means original in its intent. Many efforts have been made throughout the post-Mubarak months to sideline the women's movement through intimidation and exclusion. This is clearly on the beginning of the road to achieving the ambitions of the February protests of Tahrir Square, and one can only hope that women find their efforts rewarded.
http://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/wolf33/English
http://feministing.com/2011/02/01/women-central-to-egyptian-revolution/
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/mar/09/egypt-revolution-women
http://www.womensenews.org/story/110222/arab-women-in-revolution-reports-the-ground?gclid=CPXq8v3M9qgCFUQOfAod928NSA
Many took part in the demonstrations themselves and were present on Facebook and the news. Interestingly, the women of the revolution came from a wide range of political, social and ideological groups, with some wearing head scarves symbolizing their religious conservatism while others demonstrated their freedom to kiss a friend or smoke cigarettes in public. Many women organized protests and played an important role in communicating events to the outside world, particularly through blogging. Bloggers such as Leil Zahra Mortada and Mona Eltahawy used multiple social media outlets to tell their story. This is perhaps a direct result of the higher levels of education among young Egyptian women, who currently make up half of the university population.
But this empowerment is seen to be rather short lived, and comes at a high price. On International Women's Day on March 8th, a group of 200 men charged women holding a peaceful demonstration in Tahrir Square. The women were pulled to the ground, dragged, groped and sexually harassed while military figures and police stood by. Though many women had hoped that their role in the revolution would cause them to be seen as equals, it is clear that deep seated misogyny is much harder to overhaul than the government. While this was the most blatant and violent display of misogyny in the wake of the revolution, it is by no means original in its intent. Many efforts have been made throughout the post-Mubarak months to sideline the women's movement through intimidation and exclusion. This is clearly on the beginning of the road to achieving the ambitions of the February protests of Tahrir Square, and one can only hope that women find their efforts rewarded.
http://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/wolf33/English
http://feministing.com/2011/02/01/women-central-to-egyptian-revolution/
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/mar/09/egypt-revolution-women
http://www.womensenews.org/story/110222/arab-women-in-revolution-reports-the-ground?gclid=CPXq8v3M9qgCFUQOfAod928NSA
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