Section 1, Definitions

1. Inji Aflatum, 'We Egyptian Women"
The enemy of women is the enemy of democracy, in his quest to keep political rights from her. What are the arguments for keeping women out of politics in Egypt?

• They are an isolated part of society, thus their participation in politics is unnecessary. Yet, women are confronted everyday with the internal and external needs of the people; clothing, food, children, housing, health, etc
• Participation in political life would lead to her degeneration and the neglect of her home and family. Women, however, participate in politics in most countries of the world w/o neglect to the home. If suffrage kept a woman from her home, wouldn't it also disrupt men's careers? The combination of job and home life has already been proved successful by women. In much the same way that men who take public office delegate their responsibilities in their field to others, so the woman would entrust her tasks at home to other members of the family.

• Egyptian women are ignorant. People should not have to wait for suffrage until they are educated. When the 1923 constitution was signed, the illiteracy rate was higher among the people than its current rate among women is now. some feminists argue for suffrage to only the educated, men and women. However, to limit political rights to a minority would bring about the destruction of democratic government. The people who would deny these rights should instead work to spread education among the illiterate.

Denying women suffrage is in clear violation of the UN Charter, Declaration of Human Rights, it is a mark on the reputation of Egypt.