Women in Egypt legally gained the right to vote and run for public office in 1956, and under the current constitution, “The state commits to achieving equality between women and men in all civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights.” In 1957, Rawya Ateya became the first woman elected to parliament in Egypt as well as the entire Arab World. Women currently make up 27 percent of parliament, the highest in the country’s history. However, cultural traditions and societal norms continue to hinder great progress. In 2021, Egypt was ranked 129 out of 156 countries on the Global Gender Gap Report, due to low participation rates of women in the labor force and high rates of sexual street harassment and violence against women. Personal status laws discriminate against women and their rights to divorce, child custody, and inheritance. Just as these regulations have been active since the 1920s so too have female advocacy groups. Organizations such as the National Council for Women in Egypt and the Egyptian Center for Women’s Rights are working to prevent regressive laws from denying women their constitutional rights.
Because of Egypt’s traditional gender roles and social stereotypes, women have also faced persistent discrimination in the sporting arena. Despite restricted access and limited funding, sports are gaining in popularity for women and girls with the help of local initiatives from The Egyptian Ministry of Youth and Sports. The national squash team has won three World Squash Team Open titles and Nour El Sherbini is currently the world’s number one ranked player. In the 2016 Olympic Games, Sara Ahmed won the bronze medal in the 69 kg weightlifting event, making her the first Egyptian woman and the first Arabian woman to win a podium finish Olympic medal.
Meet and support global leaders creating change in Egypt:
Jomana Attia
Hayam Essam
Abeer Essawy
Yasmin Helal
Dina Ibrahim
Caroline Maher
How does Egypt compare to other countries?
Where do you want to explore next?
Women in Leadership
PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN IN PARLIAMENT AS OF 2020
27%
PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN IN MINISTRY POSITIONS AS OF 2020
24%
Has a Woman Ever Been Head of State or Head of Government?
No
HAS A WOMAN EVER BEEN SPORTS MINISTER?
Unknown
Title IX Timeline
1953
Egypt was declared a republic on July 18th at the end of the Egyptian Revolution.
1956
Women gained the right to vote (full suffrage).
1980
Seven athletes became the first women to represent Egypt in the Paralympics and Hanan Ahmed Fathi (gold) and Nagat Gaber Ali (gold, silver, bronze) became the first women from Egypt to win Paralympic medals. Egypt signed the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).
1981
Egypt ratified CEDAW.
1984
Six athletes became the first women to represent Egypt in the Olympics.
2008
Abir Abdulrahman became the first woman from Egypt to win an Olympic medal (bronze- weightlifting).
2011
Egypt’s youth participated in the Arab Spring, a series of protests and uprisings throughout the Arab world in response to oppressive government regimes, resulting in a constitutional referendum on March 19th and parliamentary elections on November 28th.
Women in the olympics
participation through the years
-
0
-
0
-
0
-
0
-
7
-
5
-
57
-
71
-
51
Women in the Paralympics
participation through the years
-
0
-
0
-
13
-
5
-
31
-
22
-
20
Elite Sports Participation
First Year Women Participated In The Olympics
1984
Year Women’s Participation In Olympics Was Equal To Men’s
As of 2020, women's participation was still less than men's.
First Time A Woman Won An Olympic Medal
Abir Abdulrahman: 2016, Weightlifting (Bronze)
First Year Women Participated In The Paralympics
1980
Year Women’s Participation In Paralympics Was Equal To Men’s
As of 2020, women's participation was still less than men's.
First Time A Woman Won A Paralympic Medal
Hanan Ahmed Fathi:1980, Athletics (Gold) Shot Put (Gold) Discus Throw (Silver) Javelin (Silver) Nagat Gaber Ali: 1980, Javelin (Gold) Discus Throw (Silver) Shot Put (Bronze)
FIFA
Fédération Internationale de Football Association
National Women’s Team?
Yes
First Year Of Play
1998
Pay Gap Comparison
Paid Less than the Men's Team as of 2022
Gender Initiatives
FIFA is committed to the growth and development of women’s football around the globe.
For More Information
FIBA
Fédération Internationale de Basketball
National Women’s Team?
Yes
First Year Of Play
1974
Pay Gap Comparison
Pay Unknown
Gender Initiatives
Basketball Diplomacy in Africa, the 12-team Basketball Africa League (BAL) gives a foundational moment to discuss pan-African identity, culture, and more due to its historic history.
Increasing the participation of women in basketball at all levels was named as one of FIBA’s eight strategic objectives (2019- 2027) and one of FIBA’s three strategic priorities (2019-2023).
For More Information
LOCAL
Sports
Initiatives
Community Organizations That Have Signed The Brighton + Helsinki Declaration
Egypt Supreme Council for Youth and Sport
Faculty of Physical Education for Girls
Sport Society of Egyptian Women
