Former Egyptian diplomat cites progress on women's rights

Barbara Slavin

Feb 10, 2015

A protester chants anti-government slogans during a protest by women at the same location in central Cairo where activist Shaimaa Sabbagh was killed during a protest on Saturday, January 29, 2015. A group of women protested in Cairo on Thursday against the death of Sabbagh and around 25 other activists allegedly killed by security forces at recent rallies marking the anniversary of Egypt's 2011 uprising. Sabbagh, 32, died on Saturday as riot police were trying to break up a small, peaceful demonstration. Fr — A protester chants anti-government slogans during a protest by women at the same location in central Cairo where activist Shaimaa el-Sabbagh was killed during a protest, Jan. 29, 2015. — REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany

It takes a certain amount of fortitude to defend the government of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Washington these days, given the widespread criticism here of his record on human rights.

But in the area of gender equality, Egypt is making progress, according to Moushira Khattab, a distinguished former ambassador to South Africa and the Czech and Slovak republics who was instrumental in gaining passage of a law against female genital mutilation in Egypt in 2008.