Most women’s rights defenders in Egypt aren’t quite preoccupied with the alarmingly low number of statues depicting women in the country. Understandably, the issue pales in comparison with more pressing agenda items, like the many forms of de jure and de facto discrimination against women—from legal marital rape and inheritance inequality, to rampant FGM and sexual harassment. Yet the absence of the female from our public squares and perpetually bustling streets is indicative of a sexist mentality that places far more value on honoring and recognizing men’s achievements than it does women’s. Public statues and sculptures are a reflection of a nation’s history and identity, fully woven into the fabric of our everyday lives. They are the landmarks that guide our travels through our great metropolis. Once used to cement the status of political figures, such as members of the Muhammed Ali dynasty from the 19th to the mid-20th century, public statues now shape cultural and social perceptions of greatness worthy of commemoration and iconic imagery. And it is usually male figures that dominate this aspect of public life, signaling to the unsuspecting eye the superiority of men. Things aren’t…
Egyptian Films ‘El-Fakh’ and “Elm El-Wosool’ Participate in TIFF
This year’s edition of Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) will see the participation of two Egyptian films; ‘El-Fakh’ (The Trap) by Nada Riyadh and ‘Elm el-Wosool’ (Certified Mail) by Hisham Saqr. ‘El Fakh’ will compete at the festival’s best short film award. Debuting at the 71st edition of the 2019 Cannes Film Festival’s Critics Week, Nada Riyadh’s 20-minute short film ‘Fakh’ or ‘The Trap’ discusses the story of an unmarried couple. Set in the rundown Al-Agamy seaside resort outside Alexandria, it depicts a day in the life of a young unmarried couple. Tension occurs between the two, when the girl reveals she wants the relationship to end, with the brutality and ugliness of an abusive relationship ultimately destroying any possibility of love. The struggle begins when the girl decides to end the relationship revealing the abusive power dynamics present between the couple. ‘Elm el-Wosool’, on the other hand will be, will be participating in the discoveries film section. Hisham Saqr’s film also made an appearance at 75th Venice Film Festival, and also won the la Francophonie award in the training department of Carthage International Nights Film Festival. Starring Egyptian actress,…
Youngest Son of Morsi Dies from Heart Attack
The youngest son of former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi died of a heart attack on Wednesday, according to local and foreign news sources. According to Reuters, Abdallah Morsi, who was in his mid-twenties, suddenly started suffering from heath complications, namely spams, while driving in the Egyptian capital prior to being admitted to Oasis hospital in Giza. His death was confirmed shortly afterwards by his brother Ahmed and a family lawyer. The sudden event occurred two months after his father’s passing due to similar issues. In June, Egyptian state TV reported that the elder Morsi fainted after a court session where he was on trial for espionage. Morsi’s youngest son Abdallah was vocal about his father’s prison conditions. He himself was detained in November 2018 on charges of spreading false news. Following the elder Morsi’s death, Abdallah also expressed that his father had not been allowed to be buried in the family cemetery by Egyptian authorities as per Reuters. Former president Mohamed Morsi, who was deposed on July 2013 after mass protests against his government, had won Egypt’s first elections following the toppling of his predecessor Hosni Mubarak in 2011. His…
Tutankhamun Exhibition in Paris ‘Most Visited Event in French History’
The King Tutankhamun exhibition at Paris’s Grande Halle La Villette broke the record as the most visited cultural event this year, with a turnout of more than 1.37 million visitors, according to Egypt’s Ambassador to Paris and its permanent representative to UNESCO, Ehab Badawi. Badawi said that the temporary exhibition has had the highest number of visitors in history for an event organized in France, even though the main piece, the mask of Tutankhamun, was not on display. The exhibition was also the most visited in 1967, when it was on display at the Petit Palais, with 1.24 million people attending. The exhibition is believed to have had a positive impact on French tourist influx into Egypt, which, as records show, has seen a marked increase over the last period. The Tutankhamun exhibit will be on display from March 23rd until September 22nd, featuring 150 artifacts that belonged to the king, 60 of which had never left Egypt before and will be permanently placed at the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) after the tour. Some of the pieces were items from the king’s everyday life, including gilded shawabti statues, wooden boxes,…
‘First’ Egyptian Woman to Freeze Her Eggs Gets Green Light from Dar al-Iftaa
Egyptian Facebook user Reem Mehanna took to the social media platform to publish a public video, sharing her experience with oocyte cryopreservation or egg-freezing. In the video, Mehanna remarks that when she first decided to go through with the procedure, her OB-GYN told her that he believed she was the first woman in Egypt to opt for egg-freezing. The Facebook video, posted 3 weeks ago, has since gone viral, drawing both criticism and praise from users in Egypt. Mehanna went on to detail how she underwent the procedure a few years ago, explaining that it entailed making several incisions along her abdomen to extract her eggs (oocytes), before reassuring viewers that they normally last from 20 to 30 years in their cryogenic state. She also offered an explanation as to why she decided to go through with the procedure, saying: “I froze my eggs because I have always wanted to get married after the age of 30, so my career will have taken off, but I can’t guarantee when I will fall in love with someone who is right for me. I could meet him when I’m 32 or 37,…
Alexandria Metro Construction to Start in October
More than 20 years since the idea first arose, the underground metro system in Alexandria will begin construction by October as per Abdul Aziz Qansua, Governor of Alexandria. The news, announced by the governor himself at conference organized by the Alexandria Regional Center for Women’s Health and Development, also revealed that the estimated cost of the project could reach US$ 1.5 bn. The governor highlighted that the final designs of the project have been finalized and reviewed which was an important step prior to the signing of contracts to lay the foundation stone of the project’s construction. Set to be executed by a Chinese company, the underground system is a new and anticipated mean of transportation in Egypt’s second largest city. It is expected to run from the city’s innermost eastern point at Abu Qir to Borg Al Arab in the west, passing by the city’s most important and populated stations, with a holding capacity of 10,000 to 15,000 passengers per hour. The city already has an existing tram system, with running microbuses and buses as well. Providing additional infrastructural support, the metro project aims to reduce traffic congestion in…
Egyptian MP Proposes Law to Allow Women on State Council
Egyptian member of Parliament Ehab al-Khouli revealed plans to amend a law barring women from sitting on the State Council, reports Egypt Today. Khouli, a member of the parliamentary Legislative Affairs Committee, said on Monday that he will propose an amendment to allow women to apply for positions in the prestigious judicial body in the upcoming session. He explained that “experiment has proven that women can [successfully] bear responsibilities. There is not [a single] advanced nation that excludes women as active members [in public life].” According to Article 190 of the 2014 Egyptian constitution, “the State Council is an independent judicial body that is exclusively competent to adjudicate in administrative disputes, disciplinary cases and appeals, and disputes pertaining to its decisions. It also solely competent to issue opinions on the legal issues of bodies to be determined by law, review and draft bills and resolutions of a legislative character, and review draft contracts to which the state or any public entity is a party. Other competencies are to be determined by law.” Egypt is currently pushing for gender equality in all leadership positions as part of the government’s agenda. Last…
‘He Used Me As A Bank’: Stories of Foreign Women Married to Egyptian Men
When it comes to intercultural marriages and relationships, the equation rarely involves a union between two individuals, more often than not, it represents the merger of two different cultures. When two cultures come together, there may be significant challenges a couple must face, from contrasting behavioral patterns, values and beliefs, lifestyle, and communication issues. For foreign women marrying Egyptian men, there are also fears of exploitation and being used as a ‘temporary wife’. According to a study by Dr. Izat Ashmawi, head of the research department on human trafficking in the Ministry of Family and Population in Cairo, a number of young Egyptian men marry foreign women in order to escape poverty by emigration or due to a lack of marital demands. In the event of divorce, some of these women are often neglected and not granted their full rights, which stresses the need for these marriages to be better regulated. That is not to say that there aren’t successful examples of intercultural marriages outside of that spectrum, or that racist stereotypes of Egyptian and Arab men are true. Egyptian Streets speaks to five foreign women and delves into their…
Not Just ‘Mandi’: a Food Guide for Yemeni Restaurants in Cairo
Although Yemeni cuisine is often known for its iconic dish, Al Mandi, or its close counterpart, Mathbahi, the country has a variety of rich dishes inspired by its different regions. Egypt is no alien to Yemeni food with at least five restaurants scattered across the capital accommodating for the large Yemeni population present in Cairo. However, the most authentic restaurants, according to many Yemenis, are in Dokki, a district in Cairo housing many of the capital’s expatriate and refugee population. Interestingly, Yemeni dishes are often garnished with spices and greens native to the region. Many of the dishes revolve around chicken or lamb and are often accompanied by rice and bread. It is safe to say that Yemeni food is communal, which might be a turn off to some, but you can always work your way around that by ordering separate dishes. One of the most important ingredient in many Yemeni foods is dairy products such as butter cheese and sour milk, which are consumed on an almost daily bases especially in villages where it is widely available. Here is a quick guide to eat your way around the somewhat…