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Egyptian Legal System Opens to Women Judges

While in past years more and more positions in Egypt have opened up to woman, including the medical profession, parliament and even ministers, the legal system has remained virtually woman-free, as woman were banned from serving as judges, that is, until now. The Egyptian Minister of Justice, Mohammed Marai, decided to change the discrimination against women in the justice system, and in a letter he sent to the country`s Supreme Court he wrote that the court system must allow women to serve as judges. Local newspapers have made this news public together with the report that the Supreme Court authorized the decision.

Critics have said that this is not a change in Egyptian policies towards women but rather an attempt by the government to portray their country as a "modern" in the eyes of the international community. The Egyptian government is under increased pressure for reform from the United States, while at home, Islamic conservatives are gaining political power demanding that the reforms be revoked and Islamic law be reenacted.

In his weekly presidential speech, President Mubarak called for further representation of woman in the Egyptian parliament. On the other hand, local papers report that high ranking officials and bureaucrats are apposed to the new reforms. In the past the highest position women held in the legal system was legal advisers, although 3 woman have acted as judges, but in these cases they were appointed by a special presidential decree, and only for specific cases.