"The women of Tharir Square"

After the events in Egypt this week, it was interesting to read this piece from The World about the role of women in protests in Egypt.
 
A 21-year old university student is quoted as saying: “Women were at the forefront of the 1919 revolution in Egypt right before Egypt got its independence, in the struggle against the British; women were prominent at the time of the French occupation as well ... So Egyptian women have been involved in protests for many, many years this isn’t something new.”

Of the situation now, women's involvement is said to be "bigger than any religious or political affiliation." “There are Christian girls here, there are girls with their hair uncovered ...We’re all volunteers. We’re all Egyptians, whether we’re Christians or Muslims, whether we’re religious or not, we’re all good people. We’re all sacrificing for our country.”

The piece continues:

"But the authoritarian governments that have governed Egypt for the last 60 years have curtailed the autonomy of women’s organizations. Just as they have tightly controlled all freedoms of assembly and expression.  Women, like most Egyptians, have been frightened away from politics."

Read the rest of this article at The World.