CAIRO — Egypt has gotten no respite from demonstrations and protests by citizens demanding various rights and freedoms. Members from all social groups continue to take part in such demonstrations. The women and girls who participate confront specifically gender-related problems, so they have been taking special care and making arrangements for their safety before they join demonstrations.
Sarah al-Sharif, a human rights activist, has taken part in numerous protests, including prior to the January 25 Revolution. She explained to Al-Monitor that during such marches and gatherings, women face greater physical risks than men. Women not only have to worry about being arrested or hit by police gunfire, but they are also exposed to harassment, and worse, rape, as happened to a number of women on the second anniversary of the revolution. Sharif stresses, however, that these incidents do not stop women from taking to the streets. Rather, they make them more determined to demand their rights.
