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Egyptian women campaign for larger role in parliament

A number of Egyptian women's rights activists are campaigning to increase female representation in parliament ahead of this year's elections.
A woman casts her vote during the second round of parliamentary run-off elections at Shubra in El-Kalubia, on the outskirts of Cairo January 10, 2012. Islamists aimed to cement control over Egypt's lower house of parliament as a final phase of voting began on Tuesday, while a secular party's plan to boycott elections for the upper chamber threatened to weaken the liberal bloc. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El-Ghany  (EGYPT - Tags: POLITICS ELECTIONS TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY) - RTR2W3HV

CAIRO — Egyptian women today still suffer from cultural, social and political discrimination with no indication from policymakers for progress. Though women attained the right to political participation in 1956, significant development has been minimal. The January 25 and June 30 revolutions marked a significant change as women were at the forefront throughout.

Women have since been empowered and are more eager than ever to attain their rights. The recent triumph of Hala Shukrallah, the first female Coptic Christian to head a political party in Egypt — the Dostour Party — indicates the momentum for women to become more politically active.

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