The regime of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is not very squeamish about the political opposition in Egypt. But human rights organizations are also in the focus of the authorities. For example the activist Mozn Hassan. One focus of her work is the care and support of women who have been victims of sexual harassment and violence. According to surveys, almost 60 percent of all women in Egypt experience violence and discrimination – in public spaces, but also at home.
SRF News: Why is sexual abuse so widespread in Egypt?
Mozn Hassan: This is an international phenomenon. However, the situation is more difficult in the Middle East and also in Egypt. Because sexual violence against women is not talked about. These acts are simply accepted in large parts of society.
Perpetrators are hardly ever prosecuted.
And the behavior of the perpetrators is sometimes even justified, for cultural reasons or because of the prevailing patriarchal system. Nobody feels responsible. Perpetrators need not fear being stigmatized because they are rarely prosecuted or condemned by society.
In 2011, during the large-scale demonstrations that eventually led to the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak, Egypt experienced a full-scale wave of sexual violence against women. Why was there such an increase at that time?
During the revolution, there were a lot of people – especially a lot more women – in public space than before. At the same time, the police withdrew. This created quasi-legal spaces; Violence in public spaces increased. When there are no more rules and violence returns to normal, women and girls suffer the most. But also gays, lesbians and other minorities.
Legend:
“Discipline your boys instead of blaming your girls,” demands one Egyptian girl at a protest.
Keystone/EPA/Namer Galal/Almasry Alyoum (archive image)
According to the Egyptian constitution, men and women in Egypt have equal rights, socially, culturally, politically and economically. Are these equal rights guaranteed in everyday life?
Of course not. We live in a non-democratic society. There has been a dictatorship for many years. In addition, the security apparatus prevents people from expressing themselves freely. The constitution was written at the time under great pressure from the democracy movement after the Arab Spring. It’s widely accepted. But it is not implemented. There is no political will for that.
Women are still excluded from many areas of public life.
Women are still excluded from many areas of public life. There are so many social and economic problems in the country. The government cannot solve them all on its own, it needs us women.
How freely can you work in Egypt today?
That depends on how you freely define. It was a very difficult time with this campaign against government critics. It was particularly difficult for us feminists because the state did not recognize our concerns. We were publicly labeled and denigrated as “bad women”. It is therefore difficult to convince other women that our concerns are also their concerns.
Still, most civil society organizations cannot operate freely in public without fear of imprisonment.
Now there is this national dialogue in Egypt, the situation should improve. But still, most civil society organizations cannot operate freely in public without fear of imprisonment. State and government must recognize that we can only move forward if women are not further excluded from public life.
The conversation was led by Matthias Kündig.