Arab Spring (not just Egypt)
Were women a part of other uprisings across MENA countries?
Yes! Both men and women organized and protested in all Arab uprisings.
How long did the protests in Tahrir Square last?
18 Days
(Jan. 25 - Feb. 11, 2011)
True or False: Egyptian women did not join the uprisings.
False! Both men and women were "key drivers" in the Egyptian uprising.
(Lynch Ch.4 Pg. 70)
Wave II (2011): What percentage of women strongly agree that "In general, men are better at political leadership than women?"
59% of female respondents, with only about 11% disagreeing (to some extent).
What countries were involved in the Arab Uprisings?
Were women involved in the organization leading up to the protests in Tahrir Square, or were they just protesting?
Yes, women were central organizers and participants from the beginning.
True or False: Egyptian women protested using a "gender-frame."
False! All protesters used a "collective action frame." Egyptian women protested around their identity as Egyptians rather than their gender.
Wave II (2011): What percentage of women answered that their freedom to peacefully protest was "guaranteed to a great extent?"
73% of female respondents.
(Arab Barometer)
Did Egyptian women feel safe to protest among the masses in Tahrir Square?
Yes! Women described the square as "a place of solidarity and equality" during that time
(Allam Pg. 94)
True or False: Women were blamed for the post-uprising attacks?
True! NGO leaders, as well as state officials, among others, placed blame on women for the attacks. Some claim they were orchestrated.
(Allam Pg. 112)
Wave II (2011): What percentage of women answered that their freedom to express their opinion was "guaranteed to a great extent?"
71% of female respondents.
(Arab Barometer)
List three words that women used to describe the "aura" of Tahrir Square during the protests.
Equality, Solidarity, Pride, Community, Utopian, Perfect, Sacred - any of these work
(Allam Pg. 94)
True or False: The equal treatment of women that occurred during the protests represented greater change.
False! It was described as temporary, with inequalities and severe sexual violence, which resumed shortly after the 18 days.
Wave II (2011): What percentage of women answered "yes" to "(did the) revolution succeed in achieving: Greater social justice?"
90% of female respondents.
Were women coerced into leaving women's rights out of their protests in Tahrir Square?
No, women refute claims of coercion, saying there was full equality at the time.
(Allam Pg. 97)
True or False: During the initial 18-day uprising in Tahrir Square, women reported that sexual harassment remained as prevalent as it was in everyday Egyptian society.
False! Women described 18-days as utopian, noting an almost total absence of sexual harassment.
(Allam Pg. 96)
Wave III (2013): Did the percentage of women who answered that their freedom to peacefully protest was "guaranteed to a great extent" in 2011 increase or decrease in 2013?
Decreased; the percentage dropped from 73% in 2011 to 39% in 2013.