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 History In Ancient Egypt, prior to the influence of the west, Arabs, or Islam, the rights of women were almost completely equal to those of men. In Egyptian society a person was ranked not by sex or race but by her/his relation to the pharaoh. An Egyptian woman’s status was mainly dependent on the men in her life, but never the less she had her own individual rights. A woman could own property, bring lawsuits to court, and hold a job outside the home. Peasant women took care of their families but could also work for the wealthy as a servant. Other occupations a woman could have include being a singer, musician, dancer, beer brewer, baker, professional mourner, or a priestess. There is also documentation of female scribes. However the rate of literacy among women was significantly lower than that of men. Women were free to go about in public sans veil. It was, however, perhaps unsafe for an Egyptian woman to go far from her town without male accompaniment. Ancient Egyptian society allowed women the chance to be self reliant and self-made. It was one of few ancient cultures to have strong female leaders: Nefertiti and Hatshepsut. Present Domestic Modern Egypt, the time period after Arab conquest, is quite different with regards to women’s rights. Much of Egyptian culture’s view on women rights came from Egypt’s main religion, Islam. Women were considered morally inferior to men. Women were expected to avoid men they were not related to, veil themselves in public, and defer to senior male relatives. Young girls were taught to rely on older brothers and fathers. Once married, a woman’s decisions were all made her husband. Barrenness was the worst thing that could happen to a woman, and having only daughters was second. The sexual reputation of the women in a family was the most important aspect of that family’s honor. A disgraced husband could divorce his wife to regain honor. But all too often in rural or lower-class urban areas, fathers and brothers felt that the only way for the family to regain its honor was to kill the daughter or sister who had participated in sexual misconduct. Society The Egyptian women’s movement started during the revolution of 1919. A number of upper-class women marched in protest against the British. They were marching not for women’s rights but for a nationalistic cause supported by men. These women were led by Hoda Sharawi, who later established the Egyptian Feminist Union. In 1924 the legal age of marriage was established as 16 for girls and 18 for boys. In 1929 the divorce laws were changed making in more possible for women to divorce their husbands. In 1956 a new constitution was created that gave women the right to vote for the first time in Arab history. In 1959 a law was passed to protect women in the labor force. Education/Economy Currently Egypt’s first lady, Susan Mubarak, is on a crusade to increase women’s rights. In early March of 2000 she addressed the National Council for Women. She pointed out that women are “the most underprivileged sector in Egyptian society in terms of education, heath, cultural services and professional training.” Statistics show that 66% of women in urban areas and 77% in rural areas cannot read or write. Another large problem is that women cannot pass down citizenship to their children. This means that if an Egyptian woman marries a foreigner her children will not be Egyptian citizens. This restricts a woman on who she can and cannot marry. Women are certainly not considered equal in Egyptian society but changes are sure to come. |
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