Political Gender Inequality in Egypt after the Arab Spring (2011–2013)

Abstract

The present study examines political gender inequality in Egypt following the Arab Spring in 2011, when Egyptian women openly opposed the Mubarak regime. These women held public demonstrations for the recognition and improvement of their position in the public sphere, which raised hopes for better opportunities for women to change their status in Egyptian society. However, after the overthrow of the Mubarak regime, these hopes remained unfulfilled; for instance, women’s representation in the Egyptian parliament is less than 2%. This phenomenon is analyzed using the qualitative method along with the descriptive analysis approach. This research investigates the root of gender inequality in a developing country. The results identify three factors that hinder gender equality in Egypt: economic (physical production and intense household duty), cultural (patrilocality and the son’s role as a potential support figure for the elderly), and political regime shift (from military to the Ikhwanul Muslimin regime). Keywords—gender inequality, Egyptian women, politics,