Separate cars for women on trains starting Wednesday

[Winged Isis]

Separate cars for women on trains starting Wednesday
Egypt Independent
Tue, 05/02/2013 - 16:03

Camille Lepage

The Egyptian Railways Authority is set to enforce women’s-only train cars on several popular routes to and from the capital starting Wednesday.

The move is part of its efforts to curb sexual harassment, which is rampant across the country.

According to state-run daily newspaper Al Ahram, the No. 909 train connecting Cairo and Alexandria departing at 9am will host the first women’s car.

The No. 957 train to Zagazig and the No. 513 train to al-Qanater al-Khaireyah will also boast exclusive cars for women.

Several rights and women’s group claim the rate of sexual harassment and violence has increased sharply as of late.

Egyptian women are already afforded private metro cars in Cairo, which comprise the only public transportation that separates genders.

In 2008, an Egyptian court dismissed a lawsuit filed by two lawyers demanding the end of women’s-only cars on the grounds that separating the sexes violates gender equality.

The court ruled that allocating cars to women did not fall under its jurisdiction and added that Islamic law emphasizes respect for women, which obligates the state to protect them.

Egyptian railways are among the oldest in the world and were first established in 1834.


http://www.egyptindependent.com/news/se ... -wednesday

[LovelyLadyLux]

In Cairo there are separate cars for women, they're rarely crushed and crammed. The men's cars on the other hands are almost like the game of how many people can you stuff into a telephone booth?

[Teddyboy]

"Islamic law emphasizes respect for women, which obligates the state to protect them."

By separating them from the rest of society? I should have thought that castrating some of those from whom they need protecting would be preferable! Why won't some men take the responsibility of curbing their perverted animal instincts?

[BENNU]

Why won't some men take the responsibility of curbing their perverted animal instincts?

Then how would you control the women..?

[LovelyLadyLux]

Barefoot, pregnant, illiterate, FGM, arranged marriage, no ability to walk out and down the street without 'male' protection, no say over their own life course/fate, no equality AND promising to get BETTER if the MB really get going ......all to curb all those wanton desires of Egyptian women.........sometimes when I really think about it all I just get sad.

[Hafiz]

Do the present arrangements or will the future arrangements prohibit women traveling in male cars?

It's far from similar (and its irrelevant) but, in Australia until the 1960's or early 70's, most if not all pubs had a Ladies Lounge where men were not allowed. On the other hand women were prohibited from drinking in the (generally filthy) main public bar. Women protested in the early 1970's and 'won' the 'right' to drink there after a few minor riots and sit-ins (in Melbourne). In these cases, unlike Egypt, I suspect that the segregation was about men wanting to behave badly away from women - rather than wanting to behave badly with women.

[Teddyboy]

"Then how would you control the women..?"

Now that IS food for thought BENNU!

Personally, I wouldn't think that there should be a need to 'control' anyone, but I come from a culture where self control used to be instilled from early childhood. Perhaps you're right, and all these seemingly demure 'covered' Egyptian females are actually bursting with a rampant lust (just like their men) which actually does need to be controlled and, seeing as in many cases this is the reason quoted for female circumcision, that is why the mothers and grandmothers still want their little girls to undergo this ritual.

After all, it's only a matter of 150 years or so that some prostitutes in England had their 'bits' surgically seen to (by court order) in order to 'calm them down'. So there is a precedent in our so-called 'civilised' society which would indicate that it might work!

Well blow me down; I never imagined that I might become a protagonist for what has become known as FGM!

[FarleyFlavors]

Egyptian railways are among the oldest in the world and were first established in 1834.

This seems to be a popular urban myth in Egypt. I recently had an Egyptian doctor proudly proclaiming to me that Egypt was the second country in the world to have railways after the UK.

After a bit of fact checking, it turns out this isn't really true. A plan to build a railway was proposed by the British in 1834, but the first line (in Alexandria) didn't open until 1852. By that time France, the USA, Australia, Ireland, Belgium, Germany, Canada, Cuba, Austria, Russia, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Jamaica, Hungary, Switzerland, Guyana, Chile and India all had railways !

[Bombay]

Do the present arrangements or will the future arrangements prohibit women traveling in male cars?

It's far from similar (and its irrelevant) but, in Australia until the 1960's or early 70's, most if not all pubs had a Ladies Lounge where men were not allowed. On the other hand women were prohibited from drinking in the (generally filthy) main public bar. Women protested in the early 1970's and 'won' the 'right' to drink there after a few minor riots and sit-ins (in Melbourne). In these cases, unlike Egypt, I suspect that the segregation was about men wanting to behave badly away from women - rather than wanting to behave badly with women.

I thought it was because the Aussie males wanted to drink in peace and were feed up with the women fighting! lol

[Bombay]

When did the ladies only compartments stop in the UK?

[Dusak]

Unfortunately its inherent within the vast majority of the male species across the globe since time began that the flesh of the female is fair game. It still amazes me that even today in our modern times that they are still viewed as this. I can't see it ever ending, as I wish it would. Even the people that are empowered to try and stamp this sort of thing out seem to keep their distance as it being a too hot political potato as it seems to be here because if it don't fit into the religious beliefs then it can't be implemented to the degree that is required. I would of thought that if any country that likes its self to be called civilized then it would be quite simple to issue long and harsh prison sentences in regards to the perpetration of such assaults. To many times you see the statement that she 'agreed to it' 'she is telling lies' and all the other ******** excuses they get away with. Just make sure the ******** understand the consequences of their non consensual actions. This is nothing to do with politics, religion or gender, its about basic human rights for the individual.

[LovelyLadyLux]

Men are definitely prohibited from getting into the female cars but having seen how the men cram into the men cars and play 'sardine' I highly doubt any Egypt woman would get into a male car. I definitely would not be getting into one. The squishing and squashing is so great that there is absolutely no way she could keep herself from being fully in contact with the male bodies in the car which, am sure, would then be perceived as her fault.

[BENNU]

"Then how would you control the women..?"

Perhaps you're right, and all these seemingly demure 'covered' Egyptian females are actually bursting with a rampant lust

I didn't say that My point is that this is all about control. Teach women that they are not safe, and they will stay at home, hand over their power, believing that they depend on male protection.

But you are absolutely right about male responsibility

[LovelyLadyLux]

Totally agree tyat women do see themselves as needing male protection. They don't see themselves as having power or self determination or control over their life. Basically socialized to believe this and define their lives this way.

[Chocolate Eclair]

Maybe women should change from the Mini to the Maxi, Wonder how many people remember these cars. The Maxi not so alluring!! But they could be made into a double bed

[Hafiz]

For LovelyLadyLux. Didn't realize that it was crowded except on the Cairo "underground'.

Its irrelevant, but in Japan the groping of women on (very) crowded trains is very common in what is also is a male dominated society where women count for little.

Again its irrelevant but, as Teddyboy has raised it, the western medical profession was treating women for 'hysteria' into the 1950's using machines which released 'dangerous' female sexual tensions/needs. Gruesome, except to say that most societies have bad stories to tell about controlling women's sexuality.

In this case the Egyptians have got the worst of two worlds, African and Islamic practices towards women.

The voting in the last two years means that women will have a smaller voice in Parliament than they did under Mubarak so I guess that things are going to get worse before they get better.

I've done some reading on feminists in Egypt from the 1920's on. Its a surprisingly good story with some charismatic characters unlike the current lot - will post some info at a later date.

[Winged Isis]

That would be great, thanks H!