Juan Cole: Deep Democratization in Egypt: How Women are Driving the Changes
Political analysts writing on Egypt have tended to focus on the missteps of President Mohamed Morsi. Others are engrossed with how (un)well Egyptians are faring in dealing with frustration of what they are sure will amount to dashed hopes. The problem here is that all angles of critique fail to pick out what may be going right or, if not, offer up any tangible solution. Part of this inability is I think a persistent obsession with the State, especially the Islamist kind, and with street activity. To be sure, Egypt is at a juncture. It can plummet into chaos irreversibly. But it can also transition into some form of democracy. However, unless the main actors behind the transition (and what they are doing) are recognized, I do not see how any solution put forward without them will work.
Firstly, a transition in Egypt did not start with protesters in January 2011. The demands those protestors took to the streets were borne out of a movement that was actually long in place. But, it is hard for most of us wound up in the story of a precarious Islamist State and infuriated young liberal revolutionaries to imagine that it could be something so apparently apolitical. It is centrally women in Egypt that birthed the protests – both secular and Islamic women. This is absolutely critical to understand because they will pose the key determinant if a transition to democracy will, in fact, truly happen.
Women who previously could not read told me now their husbands can no longer refer to the Qur’an to limit their choices. These women can read for themselves now. These women do not need to ask others to guide them – they now access information and offer it. ... Becoming aware of oppression and then experiencing empowerment has direct consequences. It produces a political attitude of ‘I have unmet needs’, ‘I have rights’ and most importantly, ‘I can’ in the endeavor of addressing needs and rights.
Thus, women matter enormously to a transition to democracy. However, the only strategy at this point that is workable is one that includes a) developing a consciousness of civility and b) enabling women to decide how to, as well. Women must also be included in ‘hard politics’ because a masculine approach currently dominating decision-making circles seems to be offering more problems than solutions. I am afraid that future peace, stability and security rest on the ability of women to not simply do the same but to be in the forums discussing strategy and policy, too.
http://www.juancole.com/2013/02/democratization-driving-changes.html
Of course no one, including the author, contends that women do not have a long way to go to achieve any sense of equality in Egypt. It is nice to read some background on the role that women have played and are playing in the changes occurring in Egypt and, presumably, other countries in the region, even though this is not apparent to MSM or the casual observer.
