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Amr Abdallah Dalsh / Reuters
Women shout slogans against Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi and members of the Muslim Brotherhood during a protest rally near Tahrir Square in Cairo on March 8, 2013.
After a decade of disagreement, 130 nations decided on Friday to adopt a historic, albeit non-binding, United Nations declaration on the elimination and prevention of all forms of violence against women and girls. Language on gay rights, abortion and marital rape had reportedly been watered down to secure the agreement of Muslim and Catholic conservative states.
Mervat Tallawy, an Egyptian envoy and head of the National Council on Women, praised the accord. “International solidarity is needed for women’s empowerment and preventing this regressive mood, whether in the developing countries or developed, or in the Middle East in particular,” Tallawy told reporters after the successful vote. “It’s a global wave of conservatism, or repression against women, and this paper is a message that if we can get together, hold power together, we can be a strong wave against this conservatism.”
Tellawy might have been tailoring her comments to Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood. The group exerts tremendous influence on Egypt’s government after the election of a former leader and current member, President Mohamed Morsi. The Brotherhood had issued a statement on its English Ikhwanweb website describing how the declaration “would lead to complete disintegration of society, and would certainly be the final step in the intellectual and cultural invasion of Muslim countries.”
The ten-point statement warned that the declaration would grant women equal rights to her husband, control over household finances, birth control, divorce, the ability to travel and would allow a woman to sue her husband in case of rape.
The Muslim Brotherhood’s statement was not refuted by the presidency, which issued a clarification of its stance on the declaration on violence against women. The Office of the Assistant to the President of Egypt on Foreign Relations affirmed official rejection of violence against women in all of its forms “for any reason under any name,” but within the context of Egypt’s commitment to upholding its new constitution. However, the constitution was agreed to only by Islamists and rejected by secularists and moderates who felt that it failed to protect or improve women’s rights and human rights.
The passage of the declaration, a victory for women in general, may not change life in the short term for Egypt’s females. At present, 83% of Egyptian women face sexual harassment, over 90% have undergone female genital mutilation and almost 35% suffer domestic violence. Tallawy said in a statement issued by the National Council of Women that Egypt approved the charter on the condition that it be implemented according to each country’s laws and traditions and is accredited under the category of “moral obligation” to be implemented according to each country's local affairs. Soraya Bahgat, anti- sexual harassment activist, said there is still a lot of work to be done.
"The fact that Egypt is one of the few countries that had opposed [the declaration] sheds light on where we stand on women's rights. Its not a surprise because our current practices do not espouse things in the declaration," Bahgat said. "For example, a Muslim woman is not allowed to marry a Christian man. There idea that a woman is a man's property is deeply rooted in Egytian society …. I am not sure how [the passage of the declaration] will change things today. These are things that need to be tackled in the long term. We need to focus on what obstacles we have inside the country."
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"Analysis: Will U.N. declaration on violence against women change Egypt?"
Nope...
agreed, or any other muslim country. i'm having a hard time getting my mind around 90% genital mutilation
Not only no, but hell no. They are muslims who prefer goats and camels over women.
No, but either will it make much difference here either. Three women die every day at the hands of their partner. 1 in 4 women experience domestic violence. 1 in 5 college aged women are raped. That's in the U.S. Yes, things are far worse in Egypt--but let's be honest, it's no bed of roses here.
maybe the UN should look at India, the rapists run wild over their and they treat all their women like 2nd class citizens !
The United Nations is nothing more than a financial terrorist organization squeezing $$$ out of Member Nations.
They DO NOT HAVE any authority over a sovereign Country.
The United Nations should be ordered OUT OF NYC as soon as the diplomats pay their dad gum vehicle infractions.
Dan, genital mutilation in the U.S. is estimated at between 55 and 80%. The big difference is it's committed against infant boys.
"United Nations declaration on the elimination and prevention of all forms of violence against women and girls."
The liberation of women/females has to start from House of Saud, the Wahhabi ruler with 5000 princes and princesses and Saudi Arabia.
House of Saud are guardians of Muslims holy places.
They are source of inspiration for most Muslims around the world and their Sharia Laws.
Reforms have to start from source!
Certainly no more tan any other useless, ineffective resolution the UN has ever passed. Since they have no real, binding authority on ANYONE, what good are they? Other than to suck more money from the US to distribute to those who hate us, just like the Bozobama wants to do.
"how the declaration “would lead to complete disintegration of society, and would certainly be the final step in the intellectual and cultural invasion of Muslim countries.”"
In that case, Muslims are invading non-Muslim countries with their seventh desert mindset actions.
Hell with their Sharia Laws, niqabs/burkhas and so on and also the craps as explanations!
Just examine a place in the US, where Muslims form more than ten percent. Also examine how they disintegrate non-Muslim societies and nations.
Hope people can remember rioting in Dearborn, Michigan.
Why is it that we must destroy the will and traditions of others. The Jesuits destroyed the S. American Indians as evil people, the immigrants destroyed the American Indian culture. Why are we so Superior so as to change another culture. As with the Jesuits: If you don't agree with us we will torture you until you do so or kill you. In Borneo and the Amazon there are people whom have for hundreds of years practiced "head hunting" and sacrificial cannibalism. Let them be, that is their heritage, if they didn't like it they would have changed. The same goes for every other established culture.
As the article noted, Catholic countries are also profoundly misogynistic so the liberation of women also has to come from the Vatican......which isn't likely to happen in this millennium.
Who are you to say it is not?
Gil ======= The Islamic tradition and culture is to invade other countries and regions and impose Islam on the inhabitants at the point of a sword. Just check out their history. Are you available for a beheading when they follow your advice and engage in their cultural imperative? After all , to quote you , " it is their heritage."
I am NOT the teaparty republican "Gil" that despises women so and sees women only as sex slaves and baby makers. Does he hate his mother too?
My idea is to train all of those women to defend themselves and arm them with individual-specific-triggering concealed small caliber semi-autos. Small, concealed self-defense guns would be the great equalizer for them.
Instead of being stoned, harassed, sexually mutilated, etc by their government, Taliban, tribal leaders, Imams, religious police, and all other WOMAN HATERS, they would be able to assert their right to self protection in a manner that would be understood by those fanatics. Other than moving all women out of these repressive areas., arming and training them would be probably the only long term way to provide those women with equality and freedom to choose.
GIL2076580======= I think you've misjudged Gil2872519. His view is not that of the tea-party. His view is that of a progressive , multi-culturalist , one who does not recognize the inferiority of any culture. To him a culture that embraces human freedom is no better than one where the majority enslaves the minority. To put his view in a nutshell , you merely have to check out his statement above where he extols the right of people to engage in cannibalism because it is their culture or as he says , " it is their heritage". Such a culture, in his view, has no inferiority to one that respects its members and does not cook and eat them.
skrekk: At least, we hear some bad news too from Catholic church. Whereas, in case of House of Saud and Saudi Arabia, we don't hear much news. Even all the big talkers (human rights, women rights and so on) fall silent or look the other way.
When has a UN declaration amounted to anything? Other than the evenings punchline to some bad joke. A Toothless organization that should be shipped out on the next Space X capsule.
Egypt would be appropriate.
Note that Blue Helmets were recently taken hostage and "released". Idiots who go into a hot spot should be carrying machine guns instead of batons.
and highly partisan!
"Tellawy might have been tailoring her comments to Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood."
Oil rich Sunni rulers led by House of Saud have been funding their Sunni extremist Salaffi and Wahhabi mosques all over the world.
These mosques are primary source of problems and are hate preaching and killer training places.
If you have a mosque, look at its contributions!
House of Saud and co have invented their Sunni Islamic extremist fronts like al Qaida, Muslim Bloodhounds, Taliban, Boko Haram and other ones operating with different labels in many nations.
Will a band aid in Egypt be enough?
ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!! Yeah libs.. pass some more worthless laws. Then go wash the innocent blood rom your hands. While we are at it lets send them more tanks jets and money. That will show them what peace loving people we are. So much for the liberal human rights agenda.
Will it make any difference to any Islamic Pig Country. No. If you are not a man and if you are not Islamic you are garbage.
Even if one is a man, one have to be of right type.
A non-Muslim, Shiite in a Sunni majority, a Kurd in Turkey, a nice looking young kid means dangers!
There are too many red flags and even killer flags for a man!
@!lawerance big bird..........
they shouldn't take any declarations from UN, like some countries we know.
beside , the UN want transforme some cities in arabe countries like san fransisco oe las vegas ,full of gays and prostitues.
Say what? Were you awake when you attempted to write something?
The only way to change Egypt's (and all the other Muslim nations) attitudes is to deport all the men to a deserted island and leave the country to women alone.
Then, maybe then, change will come.
Even women will have to discard their burkha/niqab dress and change their attitudes.
Or else, they will also start suicide bombings!
One fails to understand, why Muslims in non-Muslim nations go to some Muslim nations, where they have their great Sharia Laws?
Much ado about nothing: That "non-binding" so called declaration (that even put a side "marital rape") has the same value as the shell of garlic...
This is not an issue only in Egypt but in every Muslim "culture" and widely expanded in the whole world.
A brazen new shame for the United Nations! Its members should be fired as a whole. Maybe the whole organization has to be rethought, stopping the falsehood hiding behind empty, useless and vain "diplomatic" declarations (words, words, words...) that attempt to numb their consciences.
Same as with the UN blatant and criminal inability and impotence to recognize, define unequivocally and denounce TERROR, in any form and place, and call it by its name.
Good to know that violence against men and boys is still OK.
No UN vote on anything has ever changed anything -- except they still get free money and draw obscenely high salaries to try and tell the world what to do. Disband the UN and send all the freeloaders home to their own countries.
What a ridiculous question. The idea of any declaration out of the UN doing anything is laughable, but to really go to extremes and think that anything declaration of violence against women would or could change anything in Islam is complete insanity.
The Muslim Brotherhood has already responded; their culture is based on abusing women as second class citizens. Where else is rape a common tactic to silence women?
"Where else is rape a common tactic to silence women?"
According to feminists, pretty much everywhere.
partly cloudy ===== Here's what make Islam unique in protecting rapists. Under Islam in order for a women to prevail in a rape trial , she must have 4 male witnesses come forward and testify that she was raped. If she doesn't have these men she has no recourse and must accept the fact she was raped and the man who did it will not be held accountable, that justice will be denied her.
If she does come forward and report the rape without the male witnesses , she has admitted that she had sex with the man without being married to him. So she has admitted she committed a crime and she is then arrested.
The effect of these Islamic rules is that very , very few women that are raped ever report it or ever receive justice. As an aside , the basis for these rules comes from Muhammad's decree that 4 male witness are necessary to prove rape.
This is the nightmare under which women live every day of their lives under Islam.
The un's track record of changing their own underwear is less than inspiring. Useless POC.
I once read you can judge how civilized a society is by how they
treat their women. I personally subscribe to this theory and one look at the
Islamic culture tells me where they stand on being civilized. I would suggest
when we are trying to deal with this group we bear this in mind. Granted one cannot jump from the
5th century to present day overnight but pressure on these groups
will work albeit only slowly. Our best tool will be to withhold my tax dollars
from those in power that refuse to subscribe to this theory. The internet and
mobile smart phones are powerful tools that are bringing these crimes to public
attention like never before. This is one of the reasons many Muslim
countries are trying to control the content their subjects/people have access
to. The abuse against women by these groups can no longer hide in the dark and
are being brought into the light of day. I also read that a luxury once
sampled becomes a necessity and I believe FREEDOM is the greatest luxury of all.
Without equality & respect freedom doesn't mean much.
Now the last time I checked, Egypt in an independent nation with a democratically elected government. And, we helped bring this about.
If their culture holds women in a different position than we do, it is their business. If they want to put them in burqa and cloister them indoors, it is their business. They can pass whatever laws they want because they are an independent nation. And if this is the will of the majority, who are we to tell them they are wrong.
I might remind you that this was not an issue when Sadat ran things.
Bill H ======= What an interesting view you have. So if the majority in a country vote to enslave the minority they have every right to do it and no one has a right to oppose this situation?
As you say , " who are we to tell them they are wrong?"
How pathetic that 130 nations voted for a "non-binding" resolution and it is hailed as a great step forward.
It's not just a nation or a culture but a religion that holds women to a statue of slaves. Their religion just doesn't respect women.
The failure to accept women as equals in some Muslim countries has contributed to their poor economic, educational, and limited infrastructure development even in oil rich countries
Interesting, Morsi not only had to resign as Muslim Brotherhood Pres. but also had to end his membership to the Muslim Brotherhood in order to run for office, the article states that he is still a member. Well, I guess that is what we should expect from a Muslim Brotherhood member, lies, lies and more lies. The M.B. is the largest terrorist group in the world (all mid east terror groups have their roots in the M.B.) and yet they are coming back into power with a vengeance, and vengeance is exactly what they have in mind. They have been repeatedly banned in Egypt, and in Syria it was a capitol offence to belong to the M.B. That exiled group in Turkey is the M.B. and they are poised to take control of Syria, just like they did in Egypt, they hijacked the peoples revolt against the government and will take control of the country. The M.B.'s goal is to spread Islam world wide, instating Sharia Law. In Sharia Law women have NO rights, this will not change just because the U.N. offers a resolution.
The UN is a joke. Thee UN Peacekeeprs have been accused over and over of raping women. This is like the Catholic Church coming out agaoinst child molesters.
I would think that having violence against anyone should cover this. Women do not need special rights. Look what happened here in America. women have been given more rights than men and now we are a country of perverts, just look at the TSA, its policies were created by Janet Napolitano.