Girl Child Day Celebration

Around a month ago I had the chance to speak at TIG’s celebration of Girl Child Day among different girls from around the world and it was such an amazing experience for me that I wanted to share it here for everyone. My talk was mainly about women in Egypt, my participation in CaiRollers, the roller derby team in Egypt, and my own women role models. So, here is what I’ve talked about that day.

Women exist in almost every field in the society but, unfortunately, as a minority. They have the potential to be in every position and field and to succeed in it and lead it but the society’s culture oppresses them. For example in my school and many other schools in Egypt, majority of high GPA achievers are girls and therefore they join more prestigious universities than boys. Unfortunately after they graduate college they forget all about their dreams and passions and give up on their career plans for marriage. The society perceives marriage for girls as the greatest achievement and the ultimate goal for any girl that any other achievement is nothing even if it’s an award, college graduation or an honorable achievement. This culture is widely spread in our society that even the majority of girls believes in it!

Work Force:

Women exist in so many fields in the work force but the society defines some fields of work as “men only” and other fields as the only fields for women. So you see for example in the field of engineering much more men than women but in pharmacy and art the percentage of women increases; and that’s because our society sees engineering jobs as men-only jobs and pharmacy ones as most suitable for women’s lifestyle. You can find majority of engineering students as boys and pharmacy ones as girls. So, you find more male engineers than female one, but surprisingly not more female pharmacists than male ones! This assures to us the fact that most of girls give up on their dreams and career plans after graduation and also sheds light again on the culture that sees marriage life for girls as the most essential thing for her that it affects her choice of college to best suit her future family life. Personally, when I told my family my intended major as Mechanical Engineering, their comment was “why? You would better choose something girly”!

Politics:

Women’s participation in politics in Egyptian society is as old as Egyptian history. In ancient Egypt, women have been equally participating in the social and political life with men, and it wasn’t Egyptian’s fall before women oppression has been spread in the society. Even in the contemporary history, you can find Egypt developing and moving forward with the more space women take in political life. In the 17th century, many female movements have been effectively going against occupation and until now, women have been present in all revolutions till the 25th revolution in 2011. Women have been present in the squares equally with men participating in making history and despite all the oppression and the pressure we have been subject to, that includes harassments and humiliation. I even remember a female protest that have been stating we are not going to stand still and be silent no matter how we are oppressed or harassed. Now, you can find women enrolling in many emerging political parties.

Roller Derby:

“CaiRollers” is the 1st Roller Derby team in Egypt, founded in 2011 and I have joined the team in 2013. Roller Derby is a tough sport that empower women and gives them self confidence that they can do anything. By joining this team I hope to be an inspiration to girls in Egypt to practice sport.

Role models:

1) Angie Marie: Co-founder of CaiRollers, the first roller derby team in Egypt, and founder of inner peace warrior project. She inspires me to know myself and dig down deep inside me to have inner peace. She is a very spiritual woman and since I am a very nervous person, she always inspires me to see the positive and beautiful side of life.

2) Hypatia: She is the 1st female mathematician with known works in history, she lived in Alexandria in the 4th century and made significant contributions in math and astronomy. Her father was Theon, the director of Library of Alexandria. Despite the common culture in the society in her time that women can’t work in science, she didn’t care for this and has been working as a mathematician. She used to give public talks in the amphitheatre about science which is an inspiration to share your knowledge. She inspired me to always keep thinking and wondering, I am happy that I am always asking questions even if I don’t have the answers yet, thanks to her words “deserve your right to think for even to think wrongly is better than not to think at all”.

3) Rania: She is my friend and she is a social entrepreneur. She is a great role model for an empowered woman, despite the conservative family and society she was born in, she never stopped fighting to live her own life and not to society’s expectations. She has already influenced me and still influencing me to fight oppression and be independent, making my own choices and decisions without any influences.