First Egyptian woman represents public prosecution at murder trial

This week for the first time in Egypt's history, an Egyptian female prosecutor represented the public prosecution's office at the criminal court.

Dalia Mahmoud served as the lead prosecutor of a case in which a man had been accused of the premeditated murder of a police officer in Giza province, west of the capital Cairo, the prosecution's office said in a statement.

Head of the National Council for Women Maya Morsy described the prosecution's announcement in a Facebook post as "a dream that has come true." 

Egyptian women have long fought for their equal rights with men and for their voices to be heard.

On 3 June 2021, the Egyptian Supreme Council of Judicial Bodies made the historic decision to approve women's appointments as judges and prosecutors to the State Council and the Public Prosecution Authority.

Radwa Helmy was the first female judge in the country's history to sit on the bench of the state council.

Helmy was among 98 women appointed at that time to join the council after a decision by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

Currently, women occupy about 27 per cent of the lower house of the parliament, with 164 female MPs, while the government of prime minister Mostafa Madbouly includes six ministers.