On 11 January, the Egyptian Council for Women’s Rights (ECWR) filed a complaint to the Supreme Council for Media Regulation against television commentator Yasmin Ezz, averring that Ezz’s rhetoric promotes violence against women. In response, the National Council for Women (NCW) followed up with an official statement. Within its statement, the NCW “announce[d] its rejection and deep dissatisfaction with the abusive content” presented on Ezz’s daily segment on MBC Egypt, Kalam el-Nas (‘Talk of the People’). Ezz, who is a polarising figure in Egyptian media spheres, has continually been accused of inflammatory speech that calls on women to accept violence and degradation at the hands of men. Her take on hyper-traditional, misogynistic gender roles has earned her both fame and notoriety, with the NCW allegeding that Ezz’s speech “is insulting and reactionary, and includes […] the normalisation of insulting and beating wives by husbands.” According to the NCW statement, Ezz “takes advantage of individual cases circulated on social media to normalise domestic violence, spreading ideas that destroy the Egyptian family—the pillar of society.” The statement continues to stress that this “bullying” is unconstitutional, and conflicts with over 20 articles delineating issues…
