Gender Politics and Development in Egypt

Introduction

Significant strides towards the current state of gender politics in Egypt began in

1976 when the National Progressive Unionist Party was founded as part of an expansion

from a one-party system to a multiparty system (Nelson & Caudhuri, 1994). The

National Progressive Unionist Party gave women their first real voice in government with

the founding of the Federation of Progressive Women (Nelson & Caudhuri, 1994). The

Federation of Progressive Women is committed to defending womens right to work, to

raising the political consciousness of women so that they emerge as responsible and

active citizens, and to eliminating any forms of discrimination against women in the

work, legal, and political arenas. (Nelson & Caudhuri, 1994)

From 1970-1981 major reforms in laws regarding marriage, divorce, and child

custody were seen as significant advances for women (Nelson & Caudhuri, 1994).

However, in 1980 Islamists fought back y pressuring women to stay at home, and in the

midst of economic troubles the state parlayed womens rights for economic stability

(Nelson & Caudhuri, 1994). As part of economic liberalization the state hired younger

girls at lower wages to replace women workers, and removed previous benefits of

maternity leave and day care (Nelson & Caudhuri, 1994). In 1979 politicians sought to

force a transformation in gender relations through authoritarian means with disastrous

effects (Nelson & Caudhuri, 1994). Backlash from Islamic protestors incited judges to

ignore new laws designed to force gender equality on the masses (Nelson & Caudhuri,

1994). Blame for the failure fell on the feminist movement and their association with the

corrupt and disliked leadership tarnished the public view of feminism (Nelson &

Caudhuri, 1994).
 That same year the president passed law that 20% of seats in each of the 26

government councils be reserved for women (Nelson & Caudhuri, 1994). What appeared

to be a boon for women on the surface instead promoted the idea that they were incapable

of winning office without a mandate from the government (Nelson & Caudhuri, 1994).

Where the government failed in womens rights, private coalitions were more successful

(Nelson & Caudhuri, 1994). By using already existing associations within the state,

womens groups were able to form to celebrate womens rights, and by 1986 these groups

were helping women move towards equality (Nelson & Caudhuri, 1994).

Currently Egypt is progressing to a more feminist view. In 2003 the first female

judge was appointed and in March of 2007 thirty-one female judges were appointed

(Human Rights Watch, 2007). This move to equality is overshadowed by evident

inequalities. Despite strides to improve equality in government, men are the major

players in the workforce. Eighty percent of men are economically active while only eight

percent of women are economically active (Central Intelligence Agency, 2008). This

major discrepancy in the workforce could be in part due to the large portion of Egyptian

laborers in the agriculture industry. While forty-four percent of the labor force works in

agriculture, less than four percent of that population is female (Central Intelligence

Agency, 2008). While Egypt is moving towards gender equality, the effects of gender

politics are wide spread.

Gender Politics and Adolescents

One of the most publicized gender issues facing Egypt today is that of genital

mutilation. Female genital mutilation has been occurring in Egypt since the fifth century
B.C. (Yount, 2004). In December, 1996 the Health Minister decreed that female genital

mutilation could not be issued by practitioners (U.S. Department of State, 2001). And in

June of 2007, the Egyptian government made all forms of female genital mutilation

illegal for anyone to perform (Maki, 2007). Unfortunately these laws came to late to help

most of the women in Egypt today.

Adolescents are for the first time facing a debate of female genital mutilation.

Previous generations accepted it as a necessity for purity and preparation for marriage.

Now health risks are being presented in the media and

Gender Politics and Young Adults

Gender Politics and Adults

Ratio of Female to Male Enrollment:

1st level education: 76
2nd level education: 65
3rd level education: 50

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 71.4%
male: 83%
female: 59.4% (2005 est.)

Religions:
Muslim (mostly Sunni) 90%, Coptic 9%, other Christian 1%

% Labor Force in Agriculture:

44.2%

Agricultural Workers by Sex:

Women: 3.7%
Men: 96.3%

Economically Active Poplulation by Sex:

Female: 7.8%
Male 79.7%
Right to vote (women): 1956
Right to Stand for Election (women): 1956
% Women in Legislature: 3.9%

EDHD320

The effects of Gender Politics on Egyptians across the lifespan

I. Genital Mutilation

Egypt became legally free in 1923 but continued operate as a British colony in all but
name until 1954 when it became a free republic. Interestingly the state itself is the largest
employer of women in Egypt.

Motherhood is a womans most important role ~Egyptian Woman: Inhorn

http://books.google.com/books?
hl=en&lr=&id=ZbqezMA6_SsC&oi=fnd&pg=PA3&dq=egypt+gender.politics&ots=wpQ
UDbAKHz&sig=cRyyhjjh-Eb46jonM1RSuICytJE#PPA229,M1

http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&id=lekOtGF-6G8C&dq=egypt+
%22gender+politics
%22&printsec=frontcover&source=web&ots=yJWk2r56_0&sig=7cY494KfxGoZnsaTP
HStbtlNvsI#PPA63,M1

http://www.uea.ac.uk/edu/egypt/general_links2h1.html#social

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/eg.html

http://www.eldis.org/go/display/?id=17131&type=Document

At the end of the interview, the mothers were asked to reflect on possible
differences in desirable traits in the sexes. Ten (33%) said there were no
differences.

66% of mothers said:

The rest mentioned that boys should show more courage (shagaa) and boldness
(garaa), have more self-assurance (biyasik nafso) and responsibility (masuliyya)
as a man (ragel), and not be shy (maksuf), but strong, daringand a man.
The traits they mentioned as more desirable in girls were obedience, mothers
friend, mildness (raia), shyness (andaha haya), elegance (shiyaka), and
romanticism (teba romantikiyya).

Apart from obedience, none of these traits had been mentioned earlier as
desirable traits. The gender-specific traits did not emerge in the description of
the gender-neutral child.
References

L. Herrera, Participation in school upgrading: gender, class and (in)action in Egypt,

International Journal of Educational DevelopmentVolume 23, Issue 2, , March 2003,
Pages 187-199.
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6VD7-45NY2D5-
1/1/24a9b6b1dbabaa9130bdd3a9be7e4c2e)

Kathryn M. Yount, Emily M. Agree, Cesar Rebellon, Gender and use of health care
among older adults in Egypt and Tunisia, Social Science & MedicineVolume 59, Issue
12, , December 2004, Pages 2479-2497.
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6VBF-4CMYJ1C-
2/1/9747ecafa65b0828c36ea344caaaedda)
Keywords: Gender; Aging; Healthcare utilization; Egypt; Tunisia

Nelson, B. J., & Caudhuri, N. (1994). Women and politics worldwide. New Haven: Yale
University Press.

Central Intelligence Agency (2008). CIA The world factbook Egypt. Retrieved
from: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/eg.html
on April 17th, 2008

Human Rights Watch (March 22, 2007). Egypt: First group of female judges appointed.
Retrieved from: http://www.hrw.org/english/docs/2007/03/22/egypt15536.htm on
April 17th, 2008

Inhorn, M. C. (1996). Infertility and patriarchy: the cultural politics of gender and family
life in Egypt. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.

Yount, K. M. (2004). Symbolic gender politics, religious group identity, and the decline
in female genital cutting in Minya, Egypt. Social Forces, 82, 1063-1090.

U.S. Department of State (June, 2001). Egypt. Retrieved from:

http://www.state.gov/g/wi/rls/rep/crfgm/10096.htm on April 17th, 2008

Maki, S. (July, 2007). Egypt Bans Female Genital Cutting. Retrieved from:
http://www.prb.org/Articles/2007/EgyptBansFGC.aspx on April 17th, 2008