Tahrir Square in Cairo has been the site of some major protests and demonstrations throughout Egyptian history. The past two years alone have witnessed the resignation of President Mubarak as well as the ousting of President Morsi. Images that emerged from these landmark events reveal a considerable shift from the most prevailing western stereotypes of Arab women being segregated from society and instead seen risking life and limb to be a part of the revolution taking over their neighbourhoods.
Women weren’t only participating in protests and demonstrations they were a leading force behind the social and cultural evolution that paved the way for such radical change. An article highlighted the gender- related risks faced by women participating in the demonstrations as reports of rape and harassment have surfaced.
Women in Tahir Square, Cairo, July 4, 2013
Its said that feminism is the natural step following democracy, hopefully with such rapid changes taking place one would hope it was a sign for greater equality and social movement in the countries future and that of its neighbours. However challenges are still evident, as I came across articles concerning female empowerment through protest participation the devastating reality of the risks they encounter is shocking and disheartening to say the least.
Its important to note that public outcry to such behaviour and events is significant. For example the infamous blue bra assault of a women at the hands of Egyptian military sparked a series of marches protesting the brutality as seen in the image below.
Protesters in Tahrir Square declare the assault a scandal
Of course there were those claiming her lack of modesty in attire and involvement with protests alongside men was of her own doing. This focus on the individual as opposed to the societal issue resonates with some of our own struggles within western culture. This sort of ‘victim blaming’ is prevalent in discourse around sexual abuse and harassment, the classic example of claiming a victim ‘dressed provocatively.’ Not meaning to say the levels of inequality faced in our country are on par with women in the Middle East, definitely not, only that there are wider systemic issues to be faced by women in many cultures around the world.
Omaima Abou Bakr, a professor at Cairo University and founding member of the Women and Memory Forum, a Giza-based NGO fighting misperceptions of Arab women -told Al Jazeera:
“We go through different historical periods with different kinds of challenges.”
“Muslim and Arab women are not an exception and their struggle – our struggle – is part of the struggle of women everywhere, in all traditions.”
ModME 