Mrs Suzanne Mubarak joined millions in celebrating International Working Women's Day on Monday, urging Egyptian women to assume what she said was their influential role in society, reports Reem Nafie In a keynote address on the occasion, Mrs Mubarak stressed, "Women must exercise their electoral rights in the upcoming elections," she said. Mrs Mubarak said, this is the time for women to overcome the social misconceptions that have long denied them their full political rights. The nation now needs the input of every Egyptian -- "man and woman alike". Mrs Mubarak called on political parties to encourage women to assume their electoral and political rights. She also stressed the role of the media in promoting the political participation of women. Mrs Mubarak said she was committed to supporting the quest of women for more political and economic rights. Women, she stressed, should not be subjected to gender-based discrimination in the workplace. Excluding or discriminating against women at work is no longer an option for a society seriously pursuing development, Mrs Mubarak said. Women, she added, have successfully brought down the "men only" barrier in many an economic and social arena. But, she noted, they can still do much more.
