Region | Egypt
Women-only taxis set for bumpy ride in Egypt
Feminist groups blast move claiming it will lead to further segregation between sexes
- By Ramadan Al Sherbini, Correspondent
- Published: 00:00 January 15, 2010
Cairo: A few years after Egypt designated two carriages for women on each of the Cairo Underground Metro trains, authorities in Alexandria, Egypt's second biggest city, are considering the operation of a women-only taxi service. Feminist groups are, however, concerned that this service will further establish sex segregation in Egypt, the Arab world's most populous country.
"Stop this farce of women-only taxis which would drag the Egyptian society back 100 years," the Egyptian Centre for Women's Rights, a non-governmental organisation, said in a statement.
"Stop the isolation of women and the isolation of Egypt," added the statement, a copy of which was obtained by Gulf News.
Pushing for the cancellation of the female-only service on the Cairo Underground Metro, the centre has also warned against further moves to segregate women and men in the workplace and at universities.
Equality
"Such moves represent a rights setback at legal, religious and society levels. They contradict the (Egyptian) constitution and international conventions, which establish equality between men and women."
Proponents of women-only services believe that such moves are necessary to protect women in Egypt from increasing street harassment.
"There is no need for such a fuss so long as women-only as well as mixed services are available," said Mahassen Ahmad, a government employee.
"Leave people to make their choices. To me, female-only taxis, driven by women, will be welcome to save women from the usual sexual harassment on public transport."
A recent survey showed that 83 per cent of Egyptian women are sexually harassed once or twice a day. The nation's lawmakers are set to soon debate a draft bill to toughen the punishment for harassment offences.
No problem
"Isolation is not the right idea to protect women. There is no problem with the mixing of women and men. The problem is bad morals and upbringing," said Amna Nousseir, a professor at the Islamic seminary Al Azhar University.
In her view, introducing a women-only service is a bad idea.
"It is alien to the nature of Egyptian women who have long been accustomed to walking and working alongside men without a problem," she said.
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