CAIRO: A long queue of women were standing and waiting in front of a polling station in Zamalek, Cairo, to cast their vote for the first post-revolution elections on Monday, November 28. While the queue curled around streets, optimism and enthusiasm surrounded the polling station. “This is a polling station for women only,” one voter explained proudly. “This separation has nothing to do with religion, it's just for making organization easier,” Aliaa Khadr, one voter and mother of three children added. “You see all the women here? They are so happy to cast their vote finally. Every year, when the election came up, we stayed home and did not go voting as the turnout was the same anyway. Nobody was caring about elections. Now, everyone is voting and everybody is so excited about the outcome. We have waited for this so long, it has never happened before.” Despite the fact that voters had to wait for hours, the process was well organized. “This is our first democratic election and it's very organized. People are so enthusiastic that they hold out up to 5 hours to wait in the queue. The hope for a better Egypt is uniting all of us,” Randa El Masry, one voter states. “I am so happy we finally did it. “Democracy, freedom, justice, better living, better chances for all people, that's what people are hoping for. We need to strengthen education and to improve the middle class. One day, I hope so, there will be no more slums in Egypt”, Neveen Fouad, another young voter added. Nagham Osman, 30-year-old voter also referred to the protests in Tahrir last week. “What happened last week in Tahrir has contributed to people's confusion about what is going on. They were concerned with the protests and did not think about the upcoming elections. Two days ago, we did not even know if elections will be held. There was too much to grasp in such a short period, parties did not have enough time for campaigning. People are aware of the delay of information but they know that this is so important. That's why they go for vote,” she added. She also called upon every Egyptian citizen to cast their votes. “Boycotting the elections will not help our country. Everybody shall vote. Even my mother is so enthusiastic about the voting process. She is 68 and insists on her right to vote as she is so proud of Egypt. First, I did not know where to go with her. But Facebook helped a lot to find out. It is amazing how this election is uniting people, who never knew each other before,” Osman added. Referring to the chances of female candidates, Osman states that “this time they might not be as good because they did not have had enough time to campaign. But maybe next time,” she adds with a smile. “People must understand that women and men are not different.” Women candidates themselves running for individual seats account for 30.6 percent of all candidates, and on party and coalition lists, they form a mere 6.15 percent. This is also the first time women will be running or casting their votes after the female quota was removed following the January uprising that toppled the former regime of Hosni Mubarak. A total of 376 women are running for parliamentary this voting campaign, amid thousands of men. BM
