Iman Samir Ali

Egypt — The issue of women’s empowerment and their access to leadership, executive, and political positions remains a challenge in Egypt, despite the progress women have achieved in education and public life. Although many women possess the required competence and experience, their representation in top leadership positions remains limited compared to men.

Political activist Arwa Sameh Mohamed says that Egypt is among the countries where women remain underrepresented in senior executive leadership positions. She noted that the number of cities headed by women is still limited compared to the number governed by men. She believes this situation stems from two main factors: the lack of societal confidence in women’s ability to manage major executive positions, and the need for more specialized programs to prepare female leaders for such roles.

She pointed out that there are important training initiatives, such as programs offered by the National Training Academy and the “Women Lead” program, which contribute to preparing qualified female cadres. However, despite their importance, these efforts still need expansion and intensification to reach a larger number of women across different cities.

She also noted that joint initiatives between the Ministry of Social Solidarity and the Ministry of Youth and Sports, aimed at politically and socially preparing women, represent positive steps. Nevertheless, they still require further development and broader implementation to maximize their benefits.

Regarding women holding political and elected positions, she emphasized that cultural and social traditions within local communities—particularly in rural areas—remain among the most significant obstacles to women’s political empowerment. In some segments of society, there is still a belief that women are unable to meet citizens’ needs or effectively manage electoral districts. Additionally, some families remain unconvinced about the idea of women running for office or holding leadership roles, which directly affects their chances of winning elections.

She explained that the issue of preparing political cadres raises an important question about how ready women in local communities are to run in elections, especially under the individual electoral system rather than relying on party lists. Although there are capable and qualified female figures who can participate in political work and serve their communities, they still need greater support and broader opportunities for real political participation.

Financial capacity also represents one of the major challenges affecting the fairness of the electoral process. When financial power becomes a decisive factor in a candidate’s success, the chances of many female candidates decline, as they may lack the financial resources needed to run election campaigns, despite possessing the competence and ability to serve their communities and contribute to development.

Awareness Efforts to Address the Challenges

She stressed that addressing these challenges requires continuous awareness efforts targeting local communities and families—particularly those with strong electoral influence. She noted that changing societal culture does not occur quickly but requires long-term work and clear strategies adopted by political parties to support and empower women.

She also emphasized that strengthening women’s participation in public life and in leadership and political positions requires coordinated efforts between the state, political parties, and civil society organizations. This includes intensifying training and leadership development programs for women, raising societal awareness about the importance of women’s role in public life, supporting women’s candidacy in local and legislative elections, and reducing the influence of political money in the electoral process.

In conclusion, Arwa Sameh Mohamed believes that these efforts, in the long term, could contribute to reducing the marginalization of women and increasing their presence in decision-making positions—whether in the legislative or executive branches—thus supporting more inclusive and equitable development within society.