This research was conducted with the Cairo-based Middle East Hub of Pathways of Women's Empowerment. I am very grateful to Dr Hania Sholkamy of the Social Research Center at the American University in Cairo, for her facilitation of this research, her contribution to the framing of the research questions and her constant helpful feedback. I am also very indebted to Sawsan Sherif and Zeinab Ali, senior researchers at the Social Research Center who undertook semi-structured interviews with over 40 women participants in the training programme hosted by the National Council for Women's political empowerment programme. A series of semi-structured interviews were conducted by the author, Zeinab and Sawsan, with various stakeholders: Dr Mahmoud Sherif, Director of the political empowerment programme, programme officers responsible for the training programme, as well as leading members of different political parties and forces and NGO activists in Cairo and Upper Egypt. A review of press articles, training material and scholarly and grey literature in both Arabic and English was undertaken by the author to complement the primary data. Finally, many thanks to Ms Mona Bakr whose exceptional coordination and management skills were key in making this initiative materialise.
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Quotas: A Highway to Power in Egypt … But for Which Women?
Article first published online: 10 SEP 2010
DOI: 10.1111/j.1759-5436.2010.00170.x
© 2010 The Author. Journal compilation © Institute of Development Studies
Issue
IDS Bulletin
Special Issue: Quotas: Add Women and Stir?
Volume 41, Issue 5, pages 89–99, September 2010
Additional Information
How to Cite
Tadros, M. (2010), Quotas: A Highway to Power in Egypt … But for Which Women?. IDS Bulletin, 41: 89–99. doi: 10.1111/j.1759-5436.2010.00170.x
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This research was conducted with the Cairo-based Middle East Hub of Pathways of Women's Empowerment. I am very grateful to Dr Hania Sholkamy of the Social Research Center at the American University in Cairo, for her facilitation of this research, her contribution to the framing of the research questions and her constant helpful feedback. I am also very indebted to Sawsan Sherif and Zeinab Ali, senior researchers at the Social Research Center who undertook semi-structured interviews with over 40 women participants in the training programme hosted by the National Council for Women's political empowerment programme. A series of semi-structured interviews were conducted by the author, Zeinab and Sawsan, with various stakeholders: Dr Mahmoud Sherif, Director of the political empowerment programme, programme officers responsible for the training programme, as well as leading members of different political parties and forces and NGO activists in Cairo and Upper Egypt. A review of press articles, training material and scholarly and grey literature in both Arabic and English was undertaken by the author to complement the primary data. Finally, many thanks to Ms Mona Bakr whose exceptional coordination and management skills were key in making this initiative materialise.
Publication History
- Issue published online: 10 SEP 2010
- Article first published online: 10 SEP 2010
- Abstract
- References
- Cited By
Abstract
Egypt has recently passed a new quota law, reserving 64 seats for women in addition to its 454 member parliament. While the executive regulations were not issued at the time of writing, the political messages conveyed about the quota are highly relevant: for example, additional seats were allocated rather than existing ones shared. This article speculates on whether the quota will challenge power hierarchies within and among parties. While the quota will undoubtedly increase women's representation in parliament, the political configurations of the existing context – a highly authoritarian one – raise questions as to which women are most likely to occupy these seats.