WOMEN OUT OF THE SPOT

Marginalized Women in Egypt

 The International Red Cross Movement is an international humanitarian movement with approximately 97 million volunteers, members and staff worldwide which was founded to protect human life and health, to ensure respect for all human beings, and to prevent and alleviate human suffering, without any discrimination based on nationality, race, sex, religious beliefs, class or political opinions.

Mother's Day is a celebration honoring mothers and celebrating motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society. It is celebrated on various days in many parts of the world, yet most commonly in March, April, or May.

 The earliest appearance of woman in public life in Egypt goes back to the Pharaonic era, where she enjoyed an equal status with man and engaged in politics and government. Queen Hatshepsut reigned from 1479 to 1457 B.C. She played an effective historical role in enhancing State structure in the realms of religion, trade and domestic and foreign policy. The same course was pursued by Nefertiti and Cleopatra in later eras.

In modern Egypt , however, there are no queens anymore. But still, there are women who are not just mothers but they are also wives, sisters and daughters. Christianity and Islam have guaranteed them rights, entrusted some duties and considered them partners of men

In the Book of Genesis chap.2: vs. 21-24,for example, is So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman' for she was taken out of man." For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.

On the other hand, our Prophet Mohamed said in the Last Sermon O People, it is true that you have certain rights with regard to your women, but they also have rights over you. Remember that you have taken them as your wives only under Allahs trust and with His permission. If they abide by your right then to them belongs the right to be fed and clothed in kindness. Do treat your women well and be kind to them for they are your partners and committed helpers.

Despite that fact, there is still some women who are deprived from even their own simplest right to live a safety life. Some of those are the victims of violence. Violence is any unlawful use of force or any act that hurts physically or emotionally. This violence, if directed towards women, takes different forms such as domestic violence, early marriage and inheritance deprivation

Violence against women is the most widespread, yet the least recognized human rights abuse in the world. It denies women equality, security, dignity, selfworth and their right to enjoy basic freedoms. By domestic violence we mean when an intimate partner or family member tries to control you or abuses you. Abuse can be physical, social, economical, or psychological. Physical abuse is when a partner or family member beats or hurts you.

Many men use abuse women to control and dominate them because they believe their masculine identity depends on this image. In some cultures, as in Egypt, societies approve of the 'disciplining' of wives and the majority of the population usually ignore incidents of domestic violence

MEN EXPLAIN THEMSELVES BY STATING THAT THEIR VIOLENCE IS MOTIVATED BY LOVE AND CARE AND THE FEELING THAT THE MAN MUST PROTECT THE WOMAN OF DOING SOMETHING WRONG. THIS IS ONE ASPECT OF A PATRIARCHAL SOCIETY. WOMEN IN RETURN, BEAT THEIR CHILDREN MOST OF THE TIME UNDER THE FALSE PRETENCE OF DISCIPLINE .

Early marriage is also another form of violence against women. It is any marriage carried out below the age of 18 years, before the girl is physically, physiologically, and psychologically ready to shoulder the responsibilities of marriage and childbearing.

 Early marriage is characteristic of rural communities, Upper Egypt and the Nubba. 36% of married women in rural families married under the age of 16, where this percentage falls to 1.9% in urban areas. The Egyptian population census data mentioned that 11% of females between 16 and 19 years old are currently married or have been previously married.

lower-class families, especially in Upper-Egypt, have tended to withdraw females from school as they reached puberty to minimize their interaction with males. Lower-class men frequently preferred marriage to women who had been secluded rather than to those who had worked or attended secondary school

HARMFUL CONSEQUENCES OF EARLY MARRIAGE

Increase in divorce rates because incompatibility between the couple. Depriving the little girls from their right to choose their husband. Forcing young girls to undertake social responsibilities before they attain maturity. Health problems resulting from repeated pregnancies and birth-giving. Increasing the birth-giving duration of women which results in health deterioration of women and of children. Negative impacts on newborns health since it is linked to mothers' maturity and experience. Deformation of mother's genitalia. Newborn deaths. Mothers' deaths. Deterioration of mother's psychological status. Increase in schools dropout rates because girls leave the education system to marry. Increase in rates of young widows (economic burden on young women usually with no education and no income and having to raise up children). Ill treatment of women and young girls and violation of their human rights.

EXISTING LEGAL PROTECTION:

Egyptian law: According to Article 227 of the Penal Code no marriage contract may be documented to those who have not reached the legal age of 18, for both sexes, with no prejudice to any criminal penalty provided by another law shall be punished by disciplinary for anyone who documented marriage in contravention of the provisions of this Article, the notary who contravenes this requirement, as well as holding him accountable for disciplinary reasons, and shall be punished by imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years and a fine not exceeding 500 pounds,. Yet 18,2% of women in Egypt have married for the first time under the age of 16 years old, mostly in rural areas where girls are perceived as a social and economic burden. Recently, the People's Assembly voted child law number 126 for the year 2008. The law defined the minimum age for marriage at 18 years (Years of Western calendar). Medical check up for (diseases that affect the health of the married couple) before registration of marriage contract is obligatory.

The third form of violence against women of Egypt is deprivation from inheritance. This was not the case in ancient Egypt

Looking back to women of ancient Egypt, we find that legally, a woman shared the same rights and status as a man at least, theoretically. An Egyptian woman was entitled to her own private property, which could include land, livestock, slaves and servants, etc. She had the right to inherit whatever anyone bequeathed to her, as well as bequeathing her belongings to others. She could divorce her husband (upon which all possessions belonging to her including the dowry were reverted to her sole ownership), and sue in court

But this is not the case in modern Egypt. While inheritance and property must have a named owner, tradition, especially in Upper Egypt, assumes it would be managed by the bloodline patriarch and used for the benefit of the entire family. The father or brother is put in charge and is responsible for taking care of family finances, and hence all family property remains in male hands. The belief is that when women inherit, property intended for the support of one family may end up in the hands of another. This custom is thus depriving women from their right to own or manage any financial or land inheritance.

The previously mentioned forms of violence against women of Egypt are not the only ones as there are still many other types which we didnt refer to. We choose those, because we believe that those forms need urgent solutions. For that reason, We ask and we are sure that as the International Red Cross and Red Crescent have supported many cases in this world , that they will help our women to live with dignity and freedom away of any sort of threat. And that they will support our cause and covey our sound to the whole world

REFERENCES: http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Red_Cross_a nd_Red_Crescent_Movement http://pambazuka.org/en/category/wgender/65797 http://www.egyptindependent.com/node/499745 http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2008/909/eg5.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_in_Egypt http://www.sis.gov.eg/En/Story.aspx?sid=2248 http://www.google.com.eg/imgres?imgurl=http://www.toureg ypt.net/images/touregypt/bride5.jpg&imgrefurl=http://tourism inegypty.blogspot.com