Amnesty International: Women Demand Equality in Shaping New Egypt

[pampango]

In Women Demand Equality in Shaping New Egypt Amnesty International calls on the Egyptian authorities to take concrete steps to ensure that women are central in shaping the future of the country.

“The optimism of earlier this year, when women played a crucial role in protests against former President Mubarak, has been dampened by the reality that women are still largely being excluded from political participation,” said Amnesty International.

“Now is the moment for the Government and political parties to match their stated commitment to women’s rights with real action to support their aspirations.”

The 10 pledges in Amnesty International’s Human Rights Manifesto for Egypt are:

1. End the state of emergency and reform the security forces
2. End incommunicado detention and combat torture
3. Ensure fair trials
4. Uphold the rights to freedom of assembly, association and expression
5. Investigate past abuses
6. Realize economic, social and cultural rights for all
7. Uphold the rights of people living in slums
8. End discrimination
9. Protect women’s rights
10. Abolish the death penalty

http://www.amnesty.org/en/news/pressure-egyptian-political-parties-deliver-25-january-expectations-2011-10-31

[pennylane100]

1. Sadly, I do not see this happening.

The male grip on power is very strong in the Arab world. Women were very much a part of the fight for freedom but I cannot see any way they will be rewarded with equality for their role. The religious and cultural bias against women is centuries old and I think it will take more than one revolution for it to be erased.

However, now is an excellent time for them to make their demand for full equality and as women have done elsewhere, they will maybe make some progress and change will come overtime with each small victory.

[riderinthestorm]

2. You obviously haven't gotten the message, anyone making suggestions to these new regimes

on incorporating theology into their constitutions, or promoting women's equality or protecting religious minorities or GLBT rights (etc. etc.) is just an anti-Muslim bigot doncha know!


I wish this were sarcasm but there's enough threads in LBN and GD on these issues and the emergent governments in Libya, Tunisia and Egypt. Maybe now that's it's also Amnesty International getting involved that will mitigate some of the knee-jerk finger pointing at those of us concerned with human rights....


(a girl can hope....)

K and R! I hope the women in Egypt continue to demand their rights, and demand them NOW!

[Fire Walk With Me]

3. :D