READER COMMENTS

In the recent years, the Egyptian women have undertaken their roles and have invaded the schools and the universities in their different branches. They have entered the fields to work side by side with men. In all cases, they have been a subject of surprise and admiration of the community. At the schools, they have proven that they are more willing to learn than men. As the exam results have indicated, they are more superior in the field of study and science. Today, they have entered the workplace as a doctor, a teacher, a journalist, a writer, a lawyer, and a lecturer. They have not left a field without entering it .Even they have become a taxi or a buses driver. They have not been on a road without crossing it for the sake of their developments and advancement. Now, they have their own clubs and social network. They have their literatures and their stores. All of these are carrying their names to honor their developments and prove to the world that the Egyptian women today have become equal to the Western women, and that they are equal to men in science and they have even preceded them in their work in twenty years and over in constant Jihad and struggle until the history has judged us and not against us. The foreign countries have appreciated the effort of the Egyptian women. When the women’s conferences were held, the Egyptian women were invited to represent their country and raise their voices next to their European and American colleagues, calling for reform, working on the advancement of the women throughout the world. Even the Egyptians have been registered to themselves and to their country a pride accompanied with the admiration of the world of their efforts and activities. Egypt, in general, and the Egyptian women in particular towards the attention of the Orientals have become higher models for the cultivated and developed Eastern women. The Egyptian women have been invited to the Eastern countries to help them in the cultural and educational aspects.

Society cannot complete its bright and beautiful image without the woman, as she represents the other half of society. Therefore, I believe that the Egyptian woman has been characterized by her success and positive opinion that she could contribute to and take part in effectively. This is my personal opinion about the Egyptian woman. I believe that she has the complete right to take part in the new political process, which the Egyptian people started to build in its new form, after the great sacrifices that these original people have offered so as to get their freedom and the return of dignity, as well as the toppling of the regime of the dictator Hosni Mubarak, who ruled Egypt for more than three decades. Therefore, the change in Egypt happened in order to let everybody get his freedom and legitimate rights.

I stand on the side the Egyptian women in this legitimate right, because they really deserve to get their rights, especially after the Egyptian and Arab women have proved their ability to succeed in many areas in which they operate, and they have excelled in them remarkably. The woman is the mother and the sister, and she is the governess who helps in the community, building and maintaining it, and she must be involved in everything, including the political life in Egypt, to fulfill her role and national duty, just like the man.

The importance of woman’s participation in the political life lies in that she is an Egyptian citizen who lived, was raised, and given the land of Egypt, just like the man. Accordingly, any citizen who lived in Egypt has the right to choose anyone to represent him and speak on his behalf. The women’s right to run for elections gives political institution more legitimacy. In addition, the woman can further represent her community, especially women’s problems and the obstacles they face in such a male-dominated society. Without women’s participation, any political life would be incomplete. The woman’s participation in the political life promotes her loyalty to her homeland and the national pride, directly affecting her peers. It enables her to raise nationally and politically aware generations; above all, she is a mother.

I call on the Egyptian government to care about women in Egypt and to try everything that they can do so that the women will maintain their dignity. I want to say that the women in Egypt have an effective role and if she had a role in the leadership, she will be better than a lot of men. I am sure that the woman in Egypt will work hard in order to achieve everything that is better as well as their participation in the political life. Also, I want to say to the women in Egypt that they are among the strongest, they can withstand all the challenges, and God will bless you.

How alike are today and yesterday! Over the decades, the Egyptian woman was deprived of effective participation in political life under the former regime, where the dream of the real presence of women in political circles continued to entice half of Egyptian society and decorate the imagination of every woman who aspired for a better future for her country. And for over 30 years, Egyptian women remained politically marginalized to the extreme, although the Egyptian women are the descendants of women who supported the victorious revolutions in the reign of 'Uraabi and Zaghlul, and have led the movements of development in various fields in the past, and shone their names in Egypt and the Arab world and even in the world community. And the January Revolution came to make the dream a reality and restore Egyptian women to a former position, but today and yesterday apparently are two sides of one coin despite the important role played by women in various fields and particularly the political sphere. So far it cannot be said for sure how the future of women's participation in political life has turned out. Despite the implicit religious recognition of their existence in the lists of candidates for elections, that recognition did not include the activation of their role in making a real contribution. One cannot deny the important role of women in Egyptian political life, but the big question mark that presents itself strongly is: when will this role be applied?

The Egyptian woman has the main right to take an effective part in the political life, if she has the eligibility and the ability to mandate the same as the man, because everyone is seeking the same goal, which is serving the Egyptian public. Moreover, the woman can nominate herself or vote in the elections that take place in the country to elect a national leadership, so as to lead the people to the shore of safety. Moreover, at the same time, she can oppose the political work adopted by the tyrannical and dictatorial rulers, who oppress their people and do not provide them care and services for the people. What happened during the Egyptian revolution against the former regime in Egypt during the last year is the best evidence for this, as the Egyptian woman has attended in great numbers the peaceful demonstrations that filled the streets and the squares in Cairo, as well as the rest of the Egyptian governorates. They recorded a great feminine attendance, and this attendance had a great impact in supporting the man in his political struggle and in the right to call for political change and reform in the country, as well the things adopted by a part of the feminine organizations, in terms of political awareness campaigns in the residential areas and the other gatherings to spread the culture of change, so as to rescue the country from tyranny and dictatorship.

Egyptian women played a key role in the Egyptian revolution. They participated as equals in Tahrir Square and stood shoulder to shoulder with Egyptian men as the population came together to demand freedom from the tyranny of the Hosni Mubarak-led regime. For a brief moment, Egyptian women were treated with respect and held out hope of finally being treated as equals in a society with a long history of sexual abuse and harassment. For a brief moment, Egyptian women believed that they might be on the cusp of a new era in which their voices would be heard in politics. The recent election results have revealed that while Egyptian men were happy to have their women stand alongside them in Tahrir square, they have no intention of allowing Egyptian women to achieve anything like the same levels of equality enjoyed by their western counterparts. Only eight seats in the new parliament will be held by women, a paltry two percent of the five hundred and eight seats available. The message to Egyptian women could not be clearer. There is a place for Egyptian women in society and that place is under the boot of the Egyptian men.

We saw a vicious and determined uprising in Egypt in the year 2010. It started in Tunisia and spread across the Arab countries, and got the name “Arab uprising”. It was meant to remove from power the long-serving leaders who were said to rule in a dictatorial method. In Egypt, it was no different. The people wanted to overthrow the long-time leader Mubarak from power. The women played a very crucial role which ensured that Mubarak was toppled from power. The women were seen by the thousands in the streets demonstrating and holding placards with anti-Mubarak messages. They were seen boldly facing the police without fear. The women were the most oppressed by the Mubarak rule and they were the ones who incited the men to join them. After Mubarak has fallen, the women’s efforts were forgotten because according to many Arab and Islamic laws, a woman’s position in the political arena is not highly regarded because there still exists inequality between men and women. Efforts are being made to recognize women’s efforts but it will take time before they are fully integrated into decision making in the politics of Egypt.

I see that the participation in the political life is a right for the Egyptian women, whether Christian or Muslim and it shall not be prejudiced superficially or deeply. The Egyptian women have proven high efficiency in various political roles, even in the days of restrictions in the era of the former president Mohamed Hosni Mubarak. It is worth noting the appearance of some veiled women who are distinguished with their balanced views in the new parliament. We have been accustomed that the veiled women in Egypt have no interest except home and caring for children only and that those who can talk about politics are a range of emancipated women.

The role of women in the Arab revolutions is not less than the role of men. This role of women which I describe as prominent and principal is taking place in the revolutions in some Arab countries by participating in organizing protest demonstrations and writing blogs and many other activities, including hunger strikes in some cases. I say that the Arab women exercised all of these roles and more. During the events of the revolutions that shook some Arab countries, women have participated amazingly in fueling the demonstrations and the management of most of them. They came around heavily in the demonstrations and expressed their overwhelming anger in the reality of the revolutions in North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula as well as some areas of Syria. They demanded the changing of the regime, ending the repression, releasing the prisoners, and launching of slogans in addition to other works, including the treatment of the wounded and injured people. Among the women's activities in the current Arab revolutions, for example highlighting their role in Libya, are a group of young women in cooperation with their counterparts of young people issuing a pamphlet of the opposition focusing on highlighting the role of women as an essential part in participating with men on an equal footing in all walks of life. On the role of women in the revolutions of Egypt and Tunisia, the Guardian praised the intensive participation of women from all classes and groups, and their taking of a role it described as principal in the instigation and their playing of a prominent role, especially in the activities of women's nature such as the provision of medical aid to the demonstrators and securing their food. They exceeded that and can be considered as a driving force that supports the maintaining of the momentum of the ongoing protests.

I believe that the Egyptian woman will play a great role in the next stage and that she will work industriously in order to make Egypt reach a very developed stage. This opportunity is what she was looking for. We Arabs are proud of the Egyptian woman, who is working to make her voice heard throughout the whole world. Her role in the revolution will not be forgotten because she stood by all sects and classes in order to back the revolution. She participated in demonstrations and in a lot of beneficial activities. Her role was very obvious in the revolution. She is a real woman who always works for the truth. We wish her the best of luck and success. The woman who did not go out to Tahrir Square and participate in the revolutions was encouraging her sons to go out on these demonstrations and supporting them by all the available means to get rid of the evil power in Egypt. Egypt and the Egyptian women have gotten rid of the enormous burden that was weighing them down. We pray to God to lead them all to success. The Egyptian woman is a very important player in all communities and that her role is very clear and effective. She will improve herself towards the very best.

The Egyptian women played a very important role in the revolution and they have worked hard in order to become part of the best Arab women. All Egyptian women try their best to play a great role in building life in Egypt. The Egyptian woman, be it a mother, sister, wife, employee, or lawyer, has worked very hard in order for Egypt to live. They try to be in a position where they can participate in making the Egyptian community better

The right of the Egyptian woman to participate in political life is not a gift, but rather an acquired right through her continuous struggle. This is emphasized by the historical evolution of women’s participation in the national movement and political life. The participation of women in the political life under social circumstances and freedom either helps to improve the political participation or encumbers it within the overall development with all of its different dimensions. Although the right to political participation is considered one of the human rights in Egypt and since women’s rights are part and parcel of human rights, which are one indivisible entity, reality is far too distant from this consideration. It is very obvious that women’s participation in the electoral process, parliament and the executive branch is weak. Not only is women’s participation weak in decision making, but also in civil society organizations and political parties. At least as a human, a woman has the right to express her opinion, participate in all fields of life, demonstrate and speak her mind, and participate in political life alongside men. But at the present time, women are humiliated and mortified while history certifies that Islam respects women and maintains their right to freedom of expression, and even guarantees her financial independence. Another point of view suggests that the political participation of women doesn’t necessarily mean she has to be a member of parliament or mix with men, but they can participate in making economic, social and political decisions by voting in a way that leads to achieving these objectives, especially establishing a community that is able to challenge life.

We hope to see more participation by women in the government and in the political life during this stage in order to preserve the existence of women forever. Thus, it is important to take advantage of this opportunity in order to get rid of failure. In fact, women must prove their competence.

The woman has the right to participate with the man in writing the new constitution and wording its contents in a way that will express and satisfy the needs of society, in addition to the right of the woman to participate in all the different political, administrative and financial public jobs. Both men and women must enjoy equal opportunities in everything, and the rights of the women must be respected during this new era in Egypt’s democratic history, because it will witness the formation of the future of Egypt and the rebirth of the country. We expect that Egypt will be a strong and rich country that achieves equality between all the components of the society, without marginalization of the woman or neglecting her historical role in creating new life. We cannot also accept depriving the woman of participating in the political life as a result of the view of some people, who do not believe in the woman’s abilities to shoulder the burdens that men can handle. Of course, this is an unwise opinion that is based on extremist thoughts, and it is removed from the reality of the society and the moderation of the Islamic religion, which honors the woman and provides her with a key role in building the societies. The woman has had many significant contributions side by side with the men in times of peace and war and in all the scientific fields. I am totally confident that the Egyptian woman will play an effective role in the new political life in Egypt, through the strong cooperation with the man, as in all the cases that serve the home and the woman, who is part of the society and who is no less than the man in love and loyalty to the home.

Islam has brought back women’s dignity. There is no harm in some Islamic culture about the role of women. With God’s will, o cultured woman, you will hear these words. You must fear Allah because women can be honored only under the rule of Allah. In fact, Allah loves his people, males and females. You should stop attacking Islam. The most important thing is to save the hungry people everywhere from poverty and injustice. The Arab people have gotten tired of modernists and liberals who have devastated the country, looted its wealth, tarnished the image of democracy, and acquired wealth at the expense of the people’s suffering. As far as I am concerned, allowing Islamists to rule in Turkey may become a reason behind implementing this in the Arab world. “They plot and plan, and God too plans, but the best of planners is God.” Islam is the doctrine, the culture, the history, and the future of the people in the region. In fact, it has never represented a problem but it has been the basic reason for the renaissance of the nation and for making its bright history. Islamists, of whom you are afraid and you are trying to oppress the same way you did in the previous century, are the inhabitants of the nation and they are keen in preserving their country. In addition, no one will be able to oppress them once again. Thus, I would like to advise you, for the sake of Allah, that the modernists should stay where they are in the countries of modernity, since the majority of them have a dual nationality.

When will the Egyptian woman have a real role in the political domain and enjoy her right to be a state official of some position? There are a lot of women who can represent their country well and work on serving the interests of their country. This is one of the woman’s rights that are guaranteed by the constitution and it is necessary that she get it. I am against every idea or belief that bans women from entering the political field. This is backward thinking. The most powerful countries are led by women, where they ascend the highest rungs of state positions. She could even be president. We are looking at the change that has taken place in Egypt, where there should be real work towards granting the Egyptian woman her rights. Why is it that a woman is banned from practicing and taking part in political work alongside a man? Is this kind of work exclusive to men? Are men the only people who have the right to lead the country and occupy all positions?

I would like to congratulate the women for their courageous stance. In fact, I am among those who have thought that women have no political role in this country. However, the awareness and insistence have achieved that for women. Thus, I have changed my opinion towards the Arab women who have stood courageously in order to support the most difficult national stances like men. Women have made many sacrifices and they have held demonstrations like men. Besides, they have helped the injured during demonstrations. This is in addition to preparing food for them. Therefore, they have taken honorable and courageous stances that cannot be forgotten. That is why we must not neglect the women’s role in making the revolutions successful.

There are various methods to limit the contact of men and women. The methods like gender segregation in schools, stations, work, etc., are there to control the misbehavior done to women. Another major practice, is veiling that is more common there. So the condition of women in Egypt is in a pathetic state, and the government should do something to solve this issue. It should punish the ones who misbehave toward women there.

Egyptians do not want stolen money or financial support. We have not heard that any Egyptian died from hunger; on the contrary, all resources exist because God blessed our lives. What the nation requires now is the right of the martyr, the right of the mother, whose heart is burning. Each and every one has to put himself in the shoes of the father or mother or sister who lost their dear ones. Now, Egypt is on the right path. Anyone loyal to the former regime does not deserve to live in Egypt. The time of the centers of power and governors is ended; even the head of the military and its leaders and the Attorney General and the Director of security and any minister or prime minister is under legal accountability. The next president will live in his home and go to work like us without any noisy mess and the disruption of traffic.