Infos zum Thema woman

Activists in Cairo are calling for a million women march on Tuesday to coincide with International Women's Day. In Cairo the march will begin in Tahrir Square, scene of the mass sit-in during Egypt's revolution that was critical in bringing down former President Hosni Mubarak as well as the shortlived premiership of Ahmed Shafiq. Aalam Wassef, one of the march's organisers, told the Guardian the march would build on the "amazing unity" between men and women in the 18 days of the revolution. Wassef said the idea for the march began when protests lost momentum shortly after Shafiq was appointed prime minister, and an all-male constitutional committee charged with drawing up amendments was formed. Egypt will vote on the amendments in a referendum on 19 March. Female input on the drafting of Egypt's constitution is a key demand of the march organisers, as is their call for legislative changes that will guarantee complete gender equality. "Women in a democracy are a good indication of how genuine a democracy it is. If you take women as an indicator it gives an idea of everything that needs to be done. Everyone will benefit," Wassef said. The march is also a tribute to the role played by Egyptian women during the revolution, including the 12 women known to have died in clashes with security bodies.