Women have more chances than ever to serve their society via the newly introduced quota system, writes Reem Leila In June 2009 the National Democratic Party's Higher Council for Policies' (HCP) plans to introduce a quota of women-only- seats were passed by the People's Assembly, creating an extra 64 places in the assembly. The legislation, which ups the total number of parliamentary seats from 454 to 518 where 10 of them are appointed by President Hosni Mubarak, the highest in Egypt's parliamentary history, will remain in force for 10 years despite complaints that two parliamentary terms is too short a time to change embedded prejudice against female MPs. Under the plans 25 governorates will return two additional female representatives, while the most densely populated areas -- Cairo, Daqahliya, Sharqiya and Beheira -- will return four. Women will be competing against other women in these reserved seats, with male candidates limited to the pre-existing 222 constituencies distributed among Egypt's 29 governorates. Farkhonda Hassan, secretary- general of the National Council for Women (NCW) believes the quota system is "an advance on the long road to fairer parliamentary representation" and hopes that the two term limit will be extended, pointing out that the 64 seats still only forms 11 per cent of the total. The quota system will leave Egypt almost on the same level with Morocco, where female MPs form 10.8 per cent of parliament, but trailing Jordan with 20 per cent, Syria with 12 per cent, Sudan with 18.1 per cent and Tunisia with 28.8 per cent. "In the past, Egyptian female MPs formed just two per cent of the total. The quota is much needed positive discrimination in favour of women," says Hassan. Many countries have used women-only quotas to increase female representation in parliament. The system has been applied in Europe, Asia and Latin America to improve the capacity and competency of women in decision-making fields. Egypt first applied a 30- seat quota for female candidates in 1979 but it was revoked in 1988 after its constitutionality was challenged. Since then women's organisations have pressed for the re-introduction of the process, though some have expressed concern over its current form and implementation. Nehad Abul-Qomsan, head of the Egyptian Centre for Women's Rights (ECWR), has been lobbying for a quota system for 15 years. "It is fully in line with Article 62 of the constitution and with President Hosni Mubarak's pledge during the presidential elections of 2005 that women will be encouraged to play a pivotal role on all levels," she says. The 2005 parliamentary elections saw only four women elected to the PA. "One of them resigned, leaving just three female MPs, or less than one per cent of the total." Ideally Abul-Qomsan would like to see greater proportional representation in place since "this would encourage political parties to look for active women candidates, and to train and support them at all levels." She is in favour of a proportional list system, with each party submitting a minimum number of female candidates as part of its electoral slate. "A proportional system would guarantee that women are not isolated," she says, and unlike the new system would not serve to reinforce the notion that women compete separately from men. Among women standing in this month's parliamentary elections are eminent journalist Amina Shafiq of Al-Ahram newspaper, a founding member of Al-Tagammu Party. She is joined by veteran media personality Nagwa Abul-Naga, NDP member and deputy speaker of PA Zeinab Radwan, Minister of State for International Cooperation Fayza Abul-Naga, Minister of Manpower and Immigration Aisha Abdel-Hadi, NDP Policies Committee member Madiha Khattab and political activist Gamila Ismail. Shafiq is standing for the second time and predicts the task she faces will be not as hard as in the 2000 PA elections. "The newly introduced quota system will make it easier for me. All my competitors will be women. Women are easier than men to compete with and my chances of winning this time are higher," she says. Opposition activist Gamila Ismail, who is running as an independent, believes the quota system could easily become a trap. "To the NDP women are just numbers and figures. The ruling party is seeking to win extra seats in parliament at women's expense." She believes the NDP introduced the quota system as a cosmetic measure to improve Egypt's image abroad, particularly at international conferences and summits. "The ruling party will dominate the women only seats since it is determined to secure a larger majority ahead of the presidential elections due in September 2011," she says. Ismail fears the main aim of the quota system was less to promote women than the agenda of the ruling NDP. It was prepared hastily, she says, and in secret, with the result that women only constituencies are on average 14 times larger than average districts. "Women will have to cover a whole governorate, except for the biggest four governorates, and I have few doubts that the results will be rigged so that candidates favoured by the ruling party win." Many male MPs, particularly independents, doubt the quota system will have much effect, arguing drastic changes need to be introduced to create a competitive and transparent political life regardless of gender considerations. "The whole experience is nothing but a waste of time, money and effort. Elections require huge amounts of money, most women running in the upcoming elections cannot afford these amounts," says independent MP Gamal Zahran. The regime, he argues, is keen to see more women in parliament precisely because they lack experience and "will approve whatever they are required to approve". Zahran doubts that the quota system will last for just two parliamentary terms. "The regime is paving the way to allocating more seats for women for longer terms in order to guarantee more allies in parliament to pass whatever laws it requires," he claims. Hoda Badran, head of the Cairo-based Alliance for Arab Women, is more optimistic, hoping that more women in parliament will have a positive influence. "What really matters now is the quality of the women who are going to be elected to fill these 64 seats," she says. Women's political participation is critical to addressing key developmental issues. "NGOs, along with all concerned agencies, must exert tremendous efforts and work strongly to support competent female candidates."
