CAIRO - At a recent gathering, organised by the Association of Arab Women, a number of women's civil society organisations launched the establishment of a Women's Union in Egypt, with the participation of the president of the Association of Arab Women Dr Hoda Badran. She was elected as board chairwoman of the Union by acclamation and in the presence of the Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations and executive chairman of UN Women Michelle Bachelet. The mission statement read out by Dr Hoda Badran assured the participation of women in the January 25 revolution and women's access to all leadership positions in the country. She explained that NGOs had held a national conference in June 2011, which came up with a number of general recommendations, one being the establishment of a Women's Union in Egypt. "The Union has 5 million voters who will participate in the next elections," Dr Badran said. She added that the Women's Union would study the programmes of political parties and direct its bloc voting to elect those who knew the value and importance of women in society. "The Union already started its work several months ago to develop awareness among women for various political programmes and explain the electoral system," she told The Egyptian Gazette. "The Union also discussed how women could effectively participate in the next elections of the People's Assembly and Shura Council, by organising public meetings in different governorates, to educate women so they could cast their vote independently and in full awareness. "There is a strong need for all public figures concerned with women's issues to maximise their efforts in society building and put the slogans of the revolution, about justice, freedom and human dignity, into action," she elaborated. "The Union will support women's issues and give Egyptian women a chance to have a role in the next elections," Michelle Bachelet told the same newspaper. When asked about the role of UN Women in supporting women's issues in Egypt, she said: "I am in communication with the Government and we have meetings with the prime minister and many other ministers." "We organise many seminars to strengthen the role of women in Egyptian society and we invite women from other countries to share their experiences," she added. When asked about her vision for the role of women in post-revolution Egypt, she said: "The Women's Union is a key factor, and I emphasise that I'm optimistic about the future of Egypt if we all work together."
