By Azza Heikal Equality was fully realised during the 25 January Revolution. Tahrir Square did not differentiate men from women in their call for freedom, justice and social equality. However, Egyptian women are now facing a number of threats that may not only destroy the goals of the revolution but they could also eliminate 100 years of struggle and achievement. First, many correlate women's rights and laws with the past corrupt era of Mubarak. The excessive interference on the part of the ex-first lady in women's issues moved many to reject even the lawful rights endowed to women by God or by statute. Laws such as that establishing the right of divorce for women, and that governing child visitation rights, are now being revised. It is said that most women's issues and rights were biased, favouring women simply to please the wife of the ex-president. Second, Islamic groups -- including the Muslim Brotherhood and fundamentalists -- are against any serious role of women in politics. According to their misinterpretation of Islam, they deny women their right to judge or rule a Muslim community. As a result women did not participate in any political committee. Third, political parties will not jeopardise their campaigns by introducing women to run for seats in the coming parliament. Indeed, the whole situation is frightening since it offers women neither hope nor a chance to play their supposedly rightful role in shaping the future of Egypt. Therefore, it is the duty of the whole of society to decolonise the minds of those who want to deprive women of their lawful, religious and humanistic rights. Beware! The future of women in post-revolution Egypt is dim and gloomy. This week's Soapbox speaker is a writer, critic and professor of comparative literature at Ain Shams University.
