Egypt: Women demand constituent assembly 50%

Hundreds of Egyptian protesters marked International Women’s Day on Thursday by marching from the Journalists’ Syndicate to Egypt’s parliament, demanding that women make up 50 per cent of the constituent assembly. The march was organised by a coalition of 16 Egyptian feminist non-governmental organisations (NGO’s), who submitted a list of demands to the People’s Assembly on Wednesday. Parliamentary speaker Mohamed Saad El-Katatni is due to meet with the coalition this Saturday to discuss the document. Thursday’s protest, which started at 4pm, saw both men and women chanting against the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF). The march moved up Talaat Harb Street, across Tahrir Square to the barricades in front of the People’s Assembly. Drums accompanied the revolutionary slogans. Many familiar revolutionary faces were present including Samira Ibrahim, who is currently suing the Egyptian army for the “virginity tests” (read sexual assault) she was subjected to on March 10. Mary Danial waved the flag of her brother Mina Danial, a young Copt revolutionary who was killed by the army during the October 9 attack on a march in front of Maspero, Egypt’s state TV headquarters. Ghada Shahbender, from the Egyptian Organisation of Human Rights,  who co-ordinates  care of  victims of torture or those injured at the hands of Egypt’s security forces. Dr Laila Soueif, the well-known activist and mathematics professor who recently went on hunger strike in protest of her son Alaa Abd El-Fattah's military detention, was also present. Key figures from Egypt’s art-scene who joined the march included Eskenderella’s Samia Jaheen and actress-cum-parliamentary-candidate Tayseer Fahmi. Basma, the actress who recently married parliamentarian Amr Hamzawy, also showed her support. A number of men marched in solidarity with the women and supervised the protective cordons.