March 8, 2011, was the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day – a fitting time to review the status and roles of Egyptian women after the revolution that toppled Hosni Mubarak on February 11. During the l8 days of tumultuous protests in Cairo’s Tahrir Square, Egyptian women in veils or western clothes took an active part along side the men. About one quarter of the million protestors who converged on the square each day were women. Housewives, students and business women shouted, fought, slept in the square and faced snipers and tear gas in the streets. Their participation was remarkable based on the traditional place of women in Egyptian society before the revolution exploded.

A recent report by the World Economic Forum ranked Egypt 125th out of 134 countries when judging the equality between men and women. Forty-two percent of women there cannot read or write, and genital cutting of women is still widely practiced, especially in the rural areas. About 25 percent of women work outside their homes with only 8 of the 454 seats in Parliament held by women. Although Egyptian women are allowed to mix more freely with men in public than in some other Arab countries, they suffer verbal harassment and groping on the street in Cairo and other cities. This happens whether they are veiled or not. A study in 2008 by the Egyptian Center for Women’s Rights reported that the great majority of women surveyed had been harassed, most often by the state security officers. Nehad Abu El Komsan, the director of the organization, said the harassers were rarely punished.

Ms. Komasan saw a combination of causes for the harassment: the lack of basic laws protecting women against sexual violence, women’s fear of reporting incidents, and the millions of poor, uneducated and unemployed young men venting their frustrations. She spoke of the sharp change during the demonstrations, “The same men they were afraid to talk to in the streets were saying, ‘Bravo, the girls’ revolution.” ’

There are 63 women’s groups in Egypt. Mozn Hassan, 32, the executive director of Nazra for Feminist Studies, was in Tahrir Square almost every day. She says, “Things have not changed. They are changing. Revolution is not about l8 days in Tahrir Square and then turning it into a carnival and loving the army. We have simply won the first phase.” Her goals are far-reaching – political, economic and social gains for women that encompass all areas of life. Yet, it should not be underestimated that during the days of protests, the heavily trafficked streets of Cairo, that had always been a male-dominated space, were suddenly shared by women. This dramatic change broke through centuries of accepted custom and behavior. However, the day Mubarak fell, on February 11, several women in the jubilant crowd reported being harassed and groped, and Lara Logan, a CBS reporter was sexually assaulted. It served as a warning that measures needed to be taken to address the long- standing problem of sexual harassment.

On February 15, the Supreme Council of The Armed Forces, the new governing body, appointed a panel of legal experts to revise the country’s Constitution. This was the first action to show their commitment to moving the country away from the authoritarian rule of Hosni Mubarak. The chief of the panel, Tareq- el- Bishri, is a retired senior judge and well known intellectual and author. He is seen as a bridge between two branches of the Egyptian opposition. Another judge is a Coptic Christian, a group that makes up about 10 percent of the population. A surprise appointment is an Alexandrian appeals lawyer who is a prominent member of the Muslim Brotherhood. The other members are considered independents. All eight members of the panel are men.

A coalition of the 63 women’s groups immediately started a petition to include a female lawyer on the panel, arguing that women “have the right to participate in building the new Egyptian state.” They noted that one proposed revision by the panel states that the Egyptian president may not be married to “a non- Egyptian woman” – thus ruling out the possibility of a woman president. Amal Hadi, a longtime feminist, referred back to Egyptian revolutions in 1919 and 1952 when women’s participation met with setbacks afterwards. Many women are concerned that The Muslim Brotherhood could play a greater role in government, leading to lessening the rights they already have. The coalition planned a women’s march for March 8, International Women’s Day to promote democracy and women’s rights in Egypt.

On March 8, hundreds of women did march in Cairo toward Tahrir Square demanding equal rights and an end to sexual harassment. The Associated Press reported that as they gathered, crowds of hostile men soon outnumbered them, shoving and groping as they shouted, “Go home where you belong!” Men scolded protestors and said their concerns were not urgent in the aftermath of the uprising. Some women were beaten and had to be pulled away from groups of men. Others fled and hid in a nearby park. Mostafa Hussein, 30 said, “They were running for their lives and the army had to fire a shot in the air to break up the mob chasing them.” Passant Rabie, 23, expressed the surprise and alarm felt by the other women when she said, “ I thought we were going to be celebrated as women of the revolution because we were present during the days of Tahrir. Unless women are included now, we are going to be oppressed.”

In Washington, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke on March 8 to honor International Women’s Day. She said that the transitions from autocracy in Egypt and Tunisia would be incomplete as long as half of the society remained blocked from participating in governance. “So let us mark this day by finding ways to ensure women and girls’ access to education, healthcare, jobs and credit and to protect their right to live free from violence.” It was clear on that same important day in Egypt that women and girls have a long road to travel to reach those goals.

Joyce S. Anderson is the author of “Courage in High Heels,” “Flaw in the Tapestry,” “If Winter Comes,” “The Mermaids Singing” and her new book, “The Critical Eye.” She can be reached at JSAWrite@aol.com.