Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


              Egyptian Women Contemplate Future Under New Leaders

   by Elizabeth Arrott

   CAIRO - Egypt's new political era is inspiring some women to become
   more assertive of their rights, even as others worry a possible
   Islamist victory in this week's presidential election might lead to
   those rights being curtailed.
   Women's rights conference
   A recent women's rights conference in Cairo attracted a cross section
   of Egyptians -- Muslims, Christians, leftists and conservatives.
   Organizers of the new "An Egyptian Woman" campaign say they are
   reaching out to women across economic lines as well, especially to the
   poor, who often felt disenfranchised by the old government.
   "They [i.e., the government] used to buy their votes and we want to
   teach them to be aware that they are responsible for their country.
   They need to know on which criteria to chose their candidate and what
   does he offer for their future and their children's future," stated
   Amani Hassan, conference organizer.
   It is a relatively new concept for many in Egypt.  Previous women's
   rights groups, Hassan says, often were seen as exclusive and largely
   ineffectual. "The Egyptian women were only from the elite class of the
   society, she said. "They never felt the problems and daily life
   struggles of the Egyptian woman at large."
   Whether those struggles are set to become greater if an Islamist is
   elected president is a point of contention.
   Challenging traditional attitudes
   Human rights advocates note that Islamist lawmakers have tried to lower
   the minimum age for marriage and decriminalize female genital
   mutilation.
   Hassan, who supports an Islamist candidate, says she is not worried.
   "There are extremists, yes.  But I don't think they are a majority and
   they can't lead the scene in Egypt," she said. " I am sure of this,
   inshallah [i.e., God willing]."
   Whether a new president can counter pressure from fundamentalists is
   unclear.  The powers of the office have yet to be defined.  But some
   people at the women's rights conference said the average Egyptian's
   approach to religion will win out.
   Noura Mohamed Ismail is a geographer at Cairo's Ain Shams University.
   Ismail says moderate religiosity is best, and that Egypt is a moderate
   nation.  "Everything in the middle," she adds, "is good."
   More than religion, Ismail says she worries about traditional, cultural
   attitudes toward women in a male-dominated society.
   A local worker reinforces her point.
   He says it is better for young men to work more than women.  "Women,"
   he says, "should not do more because men are more able than women."
   It is unclear whether Egypt's next president will play to such
   prejudice, or whether women's groups will help replace these views with
   a message of empowerment.
     __________________________________________________________________

   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/egyptian-women-contemplate-future-und
   er-new-leaders/918248.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/egyptian-women-contemplate-future-under-new-leaders/918248.html