What do Egyptian women hope for now?

With a collective interest in the affairs of women in revolutionary countries, we’ve decided to head out in the streets of Cairo to ask women about their experience with the Egyptian revolution. We targeted women in different areas in Egypt, hoping to question women from various socio-economic backgrounds and age groups. We went to Tahrir stopping passersby in front of the Mogamma’ building, and we also stopped women outside of a coffee shop in the upscale neighborhood of Zamalek to hear what they have to say.

We asked them what their experience during the revolution was like, what their lives are like now in post-revolution Egypt and what their hopes and dreams are for Egypt.

Ameera, 60 years old, vendor

• She has been selling feteer in place of her husband to earn a living after he passed away 22 years ago.
• The revolution didn’t achieve anything for the people.
• She believes that the only revolution was that led by Gamal Abdel Nasser.
• She wants the new government to take care of the “simple” people who are financially struggling and poor.

Amal, 26 years old

• She participated in the demonstrations.
• She does not have hope in the future.
• She wants from the new president to create a large labor market with opportunities for employment and fair wages.

Huda Jafar interviewing Egyptian women

Mirvat and Mona Said, sisters, 29 and 31 years

• They want jobs and decrease of the unemployment level.
• Better education
• Health care especially for children

Amani Khayyat, 25 years old, housewife

• Good life for all Egyptians
• Increase in work opportunity
• Security
• Better education

Samah, 37 years, fabric vendor, has a Bachelor of Information Technology

• “I want the new president to be like Mohamed Ali, the founder of Modern Egypt who turned Cairo from a once-destroyed city to a civilized city in the 18th Century.”
• “I am 37 years old but I still don’t have my rights.”
• Wants a white collar job as opposed to “working in the street.”
• Implement fair import and export laws because she explains everything is expensive nowadays.
• “Not one of the potential presidential candidates so far knows what the Egyptian need or want.”

Lydia, 33 years old, housewife

• Wants a fair social system for women and change the patriarchal order of society; “Because if woman live in a good social system everything would be ok then.”
• “The good changes and advantages of Egyptian Revolution is not yet clear but the coming generation will feel the differences.”

Hagar, 16 years old, student

• She participated in the demonstrations.
• She has hope that Egypt would be better place in the coming days.
• “The new government should focuses on youth and education because educated youth will rebuild Egypt. We need our voices to be heard.”

(Huda Jafar, Heba Elkayal and Helga Hansen)