Egypt election: no revolution for women

Published: Thursday, December 01, 2011

Women have been turning out in force in the early days of Egypt's parliamentary elections this week, some queuing for as long as seven or eight hours to cast their vote. But there are mounting concerns that the first election since the fall of President Hosni Mubarak will not provide the longed-for improvement in women's lives.

Writer and feminist Nawal El Saadawi says she will not participate in the "comedy" of a "fake" election that she believes will lead to a backlash against women and undermine "all efforts for justice, freedom and dignity". Campaigners are concerned at what they see as links with the old regime as well as the women standing on pro-Islamist and, in some cases, anti-feminist tickets.

"Some people say we should take part and not leave it for the Islamists, but I think it's a trick; the Mubarak people who are still there with the military, they want to abort the revolution and finish it with the election. It will bring us the Mubarak people again with different names, different faces and bring the pro-military, pro dictatorship people and this will be against women, of course."

Click here to read the full article from the Guardian..