How one Coptic woman made Egyptian parliamentary history
Mona Gaballah, who is the first Coptic woman to be directly elected to Egypt's parliament, talks to Al-Monitor about the challenges she has faced and how she intends to represent Coptic females.
CAIRO — Becoming a member of parliament as the first Coptic woman to win an individual seat representing a district known for its tribalism and intolerance was a difficult feat. Mona Gaballah succeeded in entering the annals of Egyptian parliamentary history as the first Coptic woman to represent the al-Jamaliah and Manshiyat Nasser district.
In an interview with Al-Monitor, Gaballah talks about the hurdles she faced during the electoral race, which includes society’s prevailing patriarchal culture where even women refuse to vote for other women. Gaballah also opined that further developing the public sector requires the elimination of bureaucracy, though she rejects calls to amend the current constitution.
The text of the interview follows:
Al-Monitor: What are the main obstacles and difficulties that you faced in this electoral race, particularly considering that this was the first time that a Coptic woman succeeded in winning an individual seat?
