By Aswat Masriya Egyptian women were given the right to run for parliament in 1956, making them the first to be granted suffrage rights in the Arab world. Abdel Ghaffar Shukr, deputy head of the National Council for Human Rights, told Aswat Masriya that this is “women’s most important accomplishment,” although women have not made significant electoral victories because society has not accepted it. Suffrage right was stipulated in the 1956 constitution and in 1957, eight women ran for seats in parliament. On July 14, 1957 the first two Egyptian women won seats in parliament, making history both in Egypt and in the Arab world. In the 1964 parliament, women grabbed eight seats, which amounted to 2.2 percent of the 360 seat house. The introduction of quotas in 1979 marked another milestone for Egypt’s women. The quota reserved 30 seats for women and women could also compete against men over other seats. In 1979, 200 women contested and 33 won parliamentary seats. Late president Anwar al-Sadat appointed two more women, which brought the total to 35 women lawmakers, accounting for eight percent of seats. The quota was broadened in 1984…
