Women's Rights in the Middle East

All throughout history, people have been persecuted and punished for being different. People have been discriminated against based on race, gender, social class, sexuality, religion, the list goes on and on. But one group that still lacks basic rights is women. Although most people reading this blog right now are from the U.S., we sometimes forget that the rights we have are not universal. Furthermore, the desire for women across the world to have equal rights is not universal either.

The example that led me to write about this issue is the fact that the leading political groups in Egypt are not advocating for equal rights for women. While Egypt claims to be a progressive and modern country, their policies and beliefs do not support that notion. Only two smaller parties agreed to sign pledges for women's rights. While the ousting of Mubarak is one great step for Egypt as a whole, it is only a half step forward for women.

As the picture above clearly shows, it wasn't just men who protested against Mubarak and his oppressive regime. Women had as much to do with the changes made and being made as men. And they certainly were a large part of the struggle. Many women were beaten, raped, killed, and forced to take virginity tests. 

So, why are the large majority of parties in Egypt refusing to give them equal rights? Do they really believe women are inferior to men? Part of me believes that the major reason women haven't been given equal rights is because of tradition. So much has already been changed in their society that giving women equal rights is too big of a step right now. They simply fear the change. Plus, giving women equal rights at this moment could prevent them from getting the conservative votes they need in future elections. But this thinking is extremely hypocritical. The people recently elected to parliament gave themselves power and the freedom to run for election, but didn't provide the same opportunities for others.

While Mubarak is gone, the military is slowly but surely losing its power, and a new government is being put in place, Egypt still has a long, long, long way to go. Democracy doesn't happen overnight, and Egypt is a clear example of this. It is a process that takes time, communication, and patience. I wish I could say Egypt is a successful example of a transition from a repressive regime to a democracy that encompasses all of its citizens, but it is not. There is still much Egypt has to learn. But women's rights are important to the success of Egypt as has been proved in many modern, democratic countries, and it is necessary that the new government recognize this fact and factor it into the constitution. 

The Right to Democracy

The need for new, democratic government is constantly growing and gaining support amongst Islamists as well as a select number of liberals in Egypt. The Muslim Brotherhood currently holds approximately fifty percent of seats in Parliament, more than any other political group. Their spokesman, Mahmoud Ghozlan, spoke recently about the Brotherhood’s desire to appoint a prime minister. They believe that the SCAF has not been successful in controlling violence and facilitating progression into democracy. They want to appoint a prime minister who will take the next step and provide security for the Egyptian people.The only catch is that they want the official to be a member of the Brotherhood.

Symbol of the Muslim Brotherhood

While instating a new prime minister would ensure the SCAF has less power, the prime minister would then have the ability to form a new government. Plus, if the prime minister can only be chosen from a pool of Muslim Brotherhood members, is this real democracy? The Brotherhood had the clear upper hand in parliamentary elections because of previous experience in politics/elections and also had connections to the Egyptian people. Therefore the Brotherhood needs to recognize that it is not fair to the people to only be able to choose from the Brotherhood members.

Also, the thinking of the Brotherhood is not completely correct in their assertion that instating a new prime would automatically bring about more control and peace. Putting a person in a high powered position with large responsibility could lead to disaster if the person has little experience or undemocratic motives. While it may seem like a good idea, there are underlying factors that the Muslim Brotherhood needs to consider before appointing a new prime minister.

Although the Muslim Brotherhood does seek democracy, when they speak of appointing a member of their party, they "other-ise" the rest of the Egyptian population who isn't Muslim. While Egypt is a predominately Muslim country, they do have a large Christian population (as well as other religious sects). And with the recent clashes between Copts and Muslims, this idea is not one that will sit well with the Christians. Differences in religion will always separate Egyptians to some degree, but policies a predominately Muslim government will make will increase the differences between them. In this time of change, the last thing Egypt needs is further tension.  

What's up with the weather?

For those of you who do not live in Chicago, the weather over here has been rather odd. Usually in February and January the grounds are fluffed with white snow. Traffic is backed up by piles of snow blocking the roads. People complain left and right about the cold weather.

But this year, and this week especially, winter in Chicago has barely been winter. Tuesday was in the 60s. In years past we have had awful snow storms and multiple snow days. So what exactly is up with the weather? Is it global warming, or is it simply a phase?


Having read a lot about global warming, whether it be in a biology class or on my own, there is no denying that things are changing. Whet Moser on Chicagomag.com referenced an interesting explanation by Dr. Jeff masters about what is happening:

"The natural weather rhythms I've grown to used to during my 30 years as a meteorologist have
become significantly disrupted over the past few years...We're used to seeing the slugger hit the ball out of the park, but not with the frequency he's hitting them now that he's on steroids. Moreover, some of the home runs now land way back in the seats where no one has ever been able to hit a home run before. We can't say that any particular home run would not have occurred without the steroids, but the increase in home runs and the unprecedented ultra-long balls are highly suspicious. Similarly, Earth's 0.6°C (1°F) warming and 4% increase in global water vapor since 1970 have created an atmosphere on steroids."

While changes in weather are expected over time, and it is necessary to consider that humans haven't been able to record and analyze most of the weather that has occurred over the lifetime of the planet, these changes Dr. Masters presented cannot be overlooked. And although the weather and global warming affects each and every one of us, most countries are not doing enough to significantly slow down the effects. We know there is a problem. But governments have so many other problems to deal with currently, such as the economic crises and recent social uprisings, that the environment is put second. This is understandable, but the future of our planet does depend on our current actions, and if we don't make changes soon, the situation, even in Chicago, will only worsen.