Situation of Women in Egyptian Muslim society: Are they a “free society”?
After many years of authoritarian
governments in the geographic northern African region called Maghreb, 2011 was
a watershed for the history of some countries. Beginning in Tunisia, uprisings of dissenting
people spread to neighboring countries such as Libya, Yemen, Syria or
Egypt. Whereas some of them did succeed in the establishment of new
governments, others did not. Being strategically located, these countries
captured the whole world’s eyes on them.
Even though western countries -EEUU
and the ancient European metropolis of these African countries- have a discourse
pro-democratic government, it didn’t prevent them from having good relations
with these countries’ presidents. When the unrests came to an incontrollable level,
they bet for citizens and went for even better benefits. However, they thought change in human rights
was on the way as well. Even though that part in the African continent
professes Islam, previous regimens had had good connections with their western
counterparts and giving to their citizens some patrons of western values. With
the intention of exporting western democratic values and to maintain good ties
with these strategic and petroleum producer countries, the first world
supported rebels to overthrow their presidents. Everybody was pleased with the first results
but waiting in great expectation. Did new presidents fulfill the implied conditions
of this invisible contract? In order not to superficially explain each country
situation I will focus on Egypt and go deeper in the Muslim woman to explain the
first world’s dissatisfaction with their debtors.
First at all, nobody expected a Muslim
party to win the presidential polls, and when that indeed happed in Egypt, West
hesitated over what to do, but they kept on waiting for clearer signs. And they
did come. If it is true that Egyptian
women’s rights were limited before, it is also true that some advances have been done since the Muslim
Brotherhood seized the power. But, is that advance for western countries considered
an advance in Egypt? Egypt, can a country which population is mainly Muslim be
satisfied with that policies? And if not, as I argue, what is Egyptian expecting
from the new government? The good governance has to be measured trough the
support and satisfaction of the citizens. And what really matters is to give
every society what it is willing to. But, what if the anhelo of that society is
not compatible with first world expectations? How are people reacting with
these western values based policies?
This big contradiction is bringing
troubles to the plans were already drawn up. As well as being the first democratically
elected, Mohamed Morsi is the first Egypt’s Islamist president. That fact makes
that 90% of citizens –Muslims- sympathize with him and empower him to move toward
a more independent position. Is that plausible?
Electronic sources:
1. Green, D. (2011, february 17). What caused the revolution in Egypt? The Guardian. Retrieved september 25, 2012 from http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/poverty-matters/2011/feb/17/what-caused-egyptian-revolution
2. Ramdani, N. (2012, june 4). Egyptian women: "They were doing better under Mubarak". The Guardian. Retrieved 2012, september 25 from http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jun/04/egyptian-women-better-under-mubarak
