Asmaa Fathi
Cairo — Women within Egyptian political parties face multiple challenges, starting with the lack of clear mechanisms for empowerment, alongside a deeply rooted male-dominated party culture. Consequently, many parties remain preoccupied with survival struggles rather than building inclusive democratic bases. The existence of women’s committees in many parties often leads to symbolic roles for women, limited to social or promotional activities.
Some party experiences have attempted to redefine women’s participation — either by nominating women for leadership positions or by adopting political agendas that promote gender equality. However, such initiatives remain limited and do not represent a widespread trend in the political scene. As a result, empowering women within political institutions remains a slow process, highly dependent on the broader social and political context.
At the legislative level, the parliamentary quota system has contributed to increasing women’s representation in elected councils, but this has not necessarily been reflected within the internal structures of political parties. Women’s participation in internal decision-making remains weak, hindered by limited political training, insufficient financial and media support — all of which restrict their ability to rise through party ranks and compete for influential leadership positions.
Misunderstanding the Quota and Lack of Genuine Inclusion
Feminist activist and researcher Aya Abdel Hamid affirmed that although there has been tangible change in women’s presence within Egyptian political parties, it still falls short of what is needed. She believes women’s participation has increased, but the responsibility for developing that presence largely rests on women themselves.
She pointed out a common misunderstanding of the concept of quotas — explaining that quotas were meant to be a temporary tool until women became capable of maintaining their political presence independently. However, in practice, reliance on quotas has replaced efforts to address the deeper barriers hindering women’s participation in public life.
Abdel Hamid emphasized that while women’s representation has improved, genuine empowerment and real inclusion in decision-making have yet to be achieved.
“After the introduction of quotas, women have become more of a number than an actual force,” she said.
She believes true change will only come through real equality in rights and responsibilities, stressing that both the general public and young party members still need political education to accept women’s participation in public life — as resistance remains among various social groups.

Women Are Active in Most Parties and Perceptions Have Changed
Hoda Okbi, Secretary of Civil Society Affairs in Giza for the Egyptian Social Democratic Party, stated that women’s exclusion from parties is now a thing of the past. She affirmed that women’s status is improving — “perhaps that was the case in the past, but today the situation is completely different.”
Okbi believes that women’s empowerment should not be the responsibility of a single party, but a collective effort that involves all stakeholders — through inclusion in decision-making processes and ensuring their presence in leadership and other vital areas.
On political representation, she pointed out that several female parliamentarians have moved from the House of Representatives to the Senate, noting that they now play active roles across various public platforms.
Speaking about her personal experience, she said she began her political activity three years ago, during which she gained extensive experience through training programs and public discussions.
As for regions far from the capital — such as Upper Egypt and the Nile Delta — Okbi confirmed that parties maintain local branches that work continuously, organizing field visits, training local cadres, and involving them in activities. These branches are also invited to Cairo for central meetings, a practice she believes helps break the culture of centralization and enhances communication across regions.

The Quota and Its Impact
Lawyer and human rights researcher Hadeer Ahmed stated that the quota system in political and judicial leadership has revived and energized women’s representation, noting that the overall index of female participation is steadily rising compared to all previous periods.
She pointed out that looking at the latest formation of the Egyptian Senate — and previously, the parliament, which witnessed the highest rate of female representation — clearly indicates a genuine political will to promote women’s participation, as seen also in key government positions.
Ahmed emphasized that women’s roles in political parties go beyond addressing social or economic issues — they also extend into the economic sphere and aim to send a clear message against gender discrimination by ensuring active participation of women across all sectors.
However, she acknowledged that women’s involvement in decision-making within political parties is still not as significant as hoped, though there is genuine progress and a clear direction toward greater inclusion — a trend that continues to improve the situation over time.
It is worth noting that enhancing women’s presence in Egyptian political parties is not merely about providing formal opportunities. It requires rebuilding the party culture itself on democratic foundations that ensure fair participation. Empowering women politically is thus a vital step toward reviving party life as a whole and restoring public trust in political work as a tool for social and political change in Egypt.