Egyptian women’s participation in the first day of the country’s presidential election witnessed a high rate in all governorates, including Cairo, Alexandria and even in the far depth of Upper Egypt.
Women from all ages were at the polling stations standing in lines waiting to cast their ballots.
Wife of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Intisar, and the six female ministers from the Egyptian government also cast their votes on Monday.
“The positive participation of women in the Egyptian presidential elections is a strong message to all the country’s enemies,” said Immigration and Expatriates Minister Nabila Makram, who is voting in the city of Rahab in the New Cairo.
For her part, National Council for Women (NCW) President Maya Morsi told Asharq Al-Awsat on Monday that more than 300 observers are currently following up the electoral operation in all Egyptian governorates.
"Those observers coordinate with the local teams to examine women’s participation and make sure to solve any problem facing women while casting their votes at the polling stations," Morsi said.
Egyptian culture minister Inas Abdel-Dayem cast her vote in the first tourist village language school, in 6th October City.
Similar to many other areas, a polling station at the Mohammad Farid School in Cairo witnessed Monday a celebratory carnival as some women were offering juice and water to soldiers monitoring the stations, while others were distributing the Egyptian flag to women participating in the elections.
A woman was even seen wearing a dress representing the Egyptian flag, that she had sewed herself before the elections.
“I made this dress to bother the enemies of Egypt… We all sacrifice ourselves for Egypt and we know that the good is coming,” the woman told Asharq Al-Awsat.
Some 60 million people in Egypt, the most populated Arab country, are registered to vote in three days of polling on March 26, 27, and 28.
In February, the National Election Authority (NEA) announced the final list of the candidates, including Sisi and head of al-Ghad Party Moussa Moustafa Moussa.
Vote counting will start by the end of Wednesday and the results will be announced on April 2.
