Egypt: All the president's women

Egypt's women will play an important role in the upcoming presidential run-off vote, particularly as they represent 52 percent of eligible voters. Although some see that most women tend to support the candidate that is supported by the male head of the family, it is in fact the housewife who may influence her husband’s and children’s decisions. Independent candidate and former premier Ahmed Shafiq and the Muslim Brotherhood's Mohammed Morsi resorted to depending on female campaigners to target housewives. Arabstoday recorded some of the campaign strategies in certain areas of Cairo. In Maadi, which is a more upmarket neighbourhood, women wearing niqab (a full face veil) pass by shops where women are with their husbands and children. They hand out Morsi's manifesto, titled “Annahda” (Renaissance). At first they talk to the women in general talking about the previous regime, and what the case would be if Ahmed Shafiq came to power. They then start to explain Morsi's programme and try to persuade in that respect, answering any questions the patron might have. Morsi is not alone in employing such strategies to woo supporters among Egypt's voting women. Shafiq's women campaigners are composed of elderly women who target a similar demographic, along with housewives. Their main spiel is that Shafiq's policy preaches stability, development , and an aim to establish civilian rule unlike the Brotherhood's approach. In areas like the densely populated poorer suburb of Bulaq Dakrur, in the Giza governorate, women campaigners from the Brotherhood meet with women in their homes to persuade them to vote for their candidate. Arabstoday spoke to a women officer in Mohammed Morsi's campaign team. She told us she took on the role for Egypt, because she was convinced of his sincerity, saying: “Does it make any sense to reproduce the old regime? Does it make any sense to return to people queuing for bread and fuel? Does it make any sense to return torture in jails? I do this just to save Egypt.” A Shafiq campaigner on the other hand said she campaigned for the former prime minister “to counter the flood of the Muslim Brotherhood's wresting of power, and confront the consistent lies, false promises and manipulative strategies." The campaigner, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “I hope Shafiq wins and imposes discipline after all this lawlessness. I hope stability is restored. I also hope for a real civilian country, not a religious authority like in Iran."