Reem Refaat Shaheen
“I feel now I am alive. Even if am not optimistic for the short term future” Reem is a costume designer and has been a consultant for fair trade since 2006. She has a line of ethnic clothing. |
Reem talks about the changes in her country and reflects on the reasons why the effects of the revolution could be slow to come. She believes in the revolution despite some setbacks. Website : http://www.faridaspassions.com/ Facebook page : https://www.facebook.com/EthnticClothes |
Interview
Interviewed in English on 7-May-2012 in Cairo by Tatiana Philiptchenko.
Q: Where were you on 25th January 2011 ? I was in the Sinai working on a project for Fair trade, I was training people. Rania called around 12pm and told me that there was a big demonstration on the streets. I worried a bit but told myself "its not a big deal". On the 26th, I arrived to Cairo and I saw the news and Rania told me everything. I prepared myself to go to next demonstration planned for the 28th of January 2011. I went to some demonstrations before for the Palestinians and for the rights of women. Q: What pushed you to go on the streets this time ? Actually I think I got inspired by what was happening in Tunisia. Q: What has the revolution changed one year after ? Some things have changed, but our lives have not improved yet. The seeds of liberty have changed us. We can express ourselves in many ways. We have no fear. The window is open. We still need to work more on the revolution. Our lives won’t change in a few days. The Egyptian system was filled with corruption and violence: this won’t be easy to change. There are also many foreign interests in Egypt, the people behind them won’t want to leave us alone. My work and my relations have not changed but my personality has changed. I feel now I am alive. Even if am not optimistic for the short term future. Despite of this, I feel we still are not using the full freedom we got and we should use it. Q: In regards to women, what do you think the situation of Egyptian women is today ? did it change, evolve or stayed the same? I think the Egyptian women situation is not so different than the one of the men but I think the changes are strong enough to make men and women collaborate together because now our lives are different (in this modern era) Q: What is the greatest danger now? To have a military coup. (continued on the right) |
Q: Do you think social media and Internet played and are playing a role in the revolution ? and is there’s change coming through social media in Egypt?
Social media allows to collect people for demonstrations, that it did a lot. But it brings no changes in daily lives & no progress for economical changes. Q: How about the women who represent you in parliament ? I expected that this will be our situation, not a strong representation. The Egyptian women are not so interested in political issues. Q: Do you see yourself as a revolutionary ? Yes, revolutionary is not only to be active in the streets but to believe in the revolution. And I believe in it. Q: Are women benefiting from the revolution ? No, we are not getting any benefits but at least we are not regressing. We kept the rights we gained in the past. Q: How bad or good the situation of women is now? Bad because the women from the less privileged segments of population are still afraid to express themselves. But men are afraid too. I still see the fear in their eyes. Q: Did women get pushed aside after the revolution? May be, there’s a truth in your question, because the Islamic groups raised up in the last year. If the liberals rose you would have found a change but they didn’t. Q: What have made you proud this last year as an Egyptian woman? Not sure because we are still fighting. What I really felt proud of is that I discovered the real personality of the Egyptian people: they are cooperative and kind. They are very clever and understand so much. They are very patient and they are peaceful people. It is not easy to pick up a fight with them. They also can change easily and are open to be even better. Someone very bad can change to be very good. |
