Egyptian Women Search for Place in New Government

Egyptian women played a critical role in the revolutionary protests that brought down former president Hosni Mubarak last month. But as Egypt transitions toward a new government, questions are being raised about whether women will gain a stronger role in politics.
Social activist¹ Zakeya el-Nahas was among the protesters who helped break years of political silence for Egyptian women. She says something changed when those protesters took to the streets on January 25.
"I couldn't resist except going every day," said el-Nahas. "You know I have to go every day. I mean the spirit was quite different. There was a bond between all the people there."
Women experienced a new level of freedom and equality during the 18 days of protests, as they demonstrated beside men and celebrated² their success in bringing down the Mubarak government.
But Human Rights Watch researcher Nadya Khalife says that as the jubilation³ subsides⁴ and the reality of rebuilding the government takes hold, women are facing exclusion⁵ from the political process.
"There have been several groups who are opposing women's presence in politics," noted⁶ Khalife. "They are opposing women's presence, who are demonstrating for equality. So I think it's not going to be an easy transition. But I think Egyptian women are adamant⁷ that they be included in these political processes."
She says no positions were given to women on the transitional council, known as the Committee of Wise Men, responsible for drafting amendments⁸ to the constitution. And Article 75 of the constitution was written to imply that the head of state will be a man.
On International Women's Day, March 8, a mob of men attacked women who were demonstrating for equal rights in Tahrir Square, the epicenter of last month's anti-government protests.
Although women in Egypt's upper classes achieve professional and academic success, Human Rights Watch says family law discriminates⁹ against them in marriage, divorce, guardianship¹⁰, custody¹¹ and inheritance.
Valentine Moghadam, an expert on social change in the Middle East and North Africa, says cultural understandings limit many lower class women from getting jobs. She says professional and technical jobs, held by middle and upper class women, are deemed more appropriate for women in Egypt. But she says politics are not considered appropriate for women of any class.
"The world values survey and other kind of opinion polls do suggest a large proportion of the populations regard women's participation¹² in politics and as political leaders as inappropriate, and that men make better leaders than women do," noted Moghadam.
Egyptian teacher Samah Khamis agrees.
"You can call most of the Egyptian women as politically illiterate," said Khamis. "Two things were actually confined to men: sports and politics."
Moghadam, a sociology professor at Purdue University, says women have not had many influential¹³ allies in the government in the past, and it seems unlikely for the future.
"I don't think that it will be substantially different," noted Moghadam. "The indicators¹⁴ and the signs at present do not lead me to be hopeful about any substantial presence on the part of women or representatives of women's groups."
Egypt's new prime minister, Essam Sharaf, has appointed only one woman Cabinet member, although he said he will create a committee for women to take part in rebuilding the country.
Egypt became the first Arab nation to elect a woman to parliament in 1957. But nearly 50 years later, in 2005, the 782-seat bicameral¹⁵ parliament only had four women members. In 2009, 64 seats were designated for women in the lower house of parliament.
Moghadam says women are at a disadvantage for September's parliamentary elections. She says women do not have enough time to mobilize and be heard against political movements such as the Muslim Brotherhood¹⁶ and groups associated with the former government.
But some Egyptian women feel now is the time to focus on creating a democratic state. Khalife describes the opinion of one woman whom she approached in Tahrir Square on International Women's Day.
"She basically said that this is not the time for women to be demonstrating. It's time for the institutions to be built in the country, and then women's rights will come later," added Khalife.
Khamis, who was raised in a well-educated Egyptian family, believes it is critical for women to take part in government. But she says women have been excluded from politics for so long that they need to be educated about politics before they get involved.
"They first need to learn more about politics," said Khamis. "They should first work again at a slower pace, slowly but surely to understand more about the society and how things are. Because we have been deprived of that for a very long time. You have to grow some kind of credibility first. I am not against the idea or concept, I am against the timing¹⁷."
Khamis and social activist el-Nahas both acknowledge that Egyptian women and minorities have a long battle for equality ahead, but they are hopeful for change.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton reiterated¹⁸ Monday that women should be included in "every aspect of political and institutional reform" across North Africa and the Middle East. She says no government can succeed if it excludes half its population and does not respect the human rights of all its citizens.
Several women U.S. lawmakers introduced a resolution this week, calling on leaders in the Middle East and North Africa to include women in constitutional and political reforms.

1 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

2 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

3 jubilation   

n.欢庆，喜悦

参考例句：

• The goal was greeted by jubilation from the home fans.主场球迷为进球欢呼。
• The whole city was a scene of jubilation.全市一片欢腾。

4 subsides   

v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的第三人称单数 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上

参考例句：

• Emotion swells and subsides. 情绪忽高忽低。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• His emotion swells and subsides. 他的情绪忽高忽低。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

5 exclusion   

n.拒绝，排除，排斥，远足，远途旅行

参考例句：

• Don't revise a few topics to the exclusion of all others.不要修改少数论题以致排除所有其他的。
• He plays golf to the exclusion of all other sports.他专打高尔夫球，其他运动一概不参加。

6 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

7 adamant   

adj.坚硬的，固执的

参考例句：

• We are adamant on the building of a well-off society.在建设小康社会这一点上，我们是坚定不移的。
• Veronica was quite adamant that they should stay on.维罗妮卡坚信他们必须继续留下去。

8 amendments   

（法律、文件的）改动( amendment的名词复数 )； 修正案； 修改； （美国宪法的）修正案

参考例句：

• The committee does not adequately consult others when drafting amendments. 委员会在起草修正案时没有充分征求他人的意见。
• Please propose amendments and addenda to the first draft of the document. 请对这个文件的初稿提出修改和补充意见。

9 discriminates   

分别，辨别，区分( discriminate的第三人称单数 )； 歧视，有差别地对待

参考例句：

• The new law discriminates against lower-paid workers. 这条新法律歧视低工资的工人。
• One test governs state legislation that discriminates against interstate commerce. 一个检验约束歧视州际商业的州立法。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

10 guardianship   

n. 监护, 保护, 守护

参考例句：

• They had to employ the English language in face of the jealous guardianship of Britain. 他们不得不在英国疑忌重重的监护下使用英文。
• You want Marion to set aside her legal guardianship and give you Honoria. 你要马丽恩放弃她的法定监护人资格，把霍诺丽娅交给你。

11 custody   

n.监护，照看，羁押，拘留

参考例句：

• He spent a week in custody on remand awaiting sentence.等候判决期间他被还押候审一个星期。
• He was taken into custody immediately after the robbery.抢劫案发生后，他立即被押了起来。

12 participation   

n.参与，参加，分享

参考例句：

• Some of the magic tricks called for audience participation.有些魔术要求有观众的参与。
• The scheme aims to encourage increased participation in sporting activities.这个方案旨在鼓励大众更多地参与体育活动。

13 influential   

adj.有影响的，有权势的

参考例句：

• He always tries to get in with the most influential people.他总是试图巴结最有影响的人物。
• He is a very influential man in the government.他在政府中是个很有影响的人物。

14 indicators   

（仪器上显示温度、压力、耗油量等的）指针( indicator的名词复数 )； 指示物； （车辆上的）转弯指示灯； 指示信号

参考例句：

• The economic indicators are better than expected. 经济指标比预期的好。
• It is still difficult to develop indicators for many concepts used in social science. 为社会科学领域的许多概念确立一个指标仍然很难。

15 bicameral   

adj.两院制的

参考例句：

• The United States Congress is a bicameral body.美国国会由两个议院组成。
• The Upper House is usually the smaller branch of a bicameral legislature.上议院通常是两院制议会中较小的一个。

16 brotherhood   

n.兄弟般的关系，手中情谊

参考例句：

• They broke up the brotherhood.他们断绝了兄弟关系。
• They live and work together in complete equality and brotherhood.他们完全平等和兄弟般地在一起生活和工作。

17 timing   

n.时间安排，时间选择

参考例句：

• The timing of the meeting is not convenient.会议的时间安排不合适。
• The timing of our statement is very opportune.我们发表声明选择的时机很恰当。

18 reiterated   

反复地说，重申( reiterate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• "Well, I want to know about it,'she reiterated. “嗯，我一定要知道你的休假日期，"她重复说。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• Some twenty-two years later President Polk reiterated and elaborated upon these principles. 大约二十二年之后，波尔克总统重申这些原则并且刻意阐释一番。