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Al-Ahram Weekly 2 - 8 March 2000 Issue No. 471 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 2 - 8 March 2000 Issue No. 471
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Shiny glass ceiling
Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Interview Features Focus Heritage Travel Living Sports Profile People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters Sir-I read with astonishment about UNESCO's suggestion that each of the newspapers published in Egypt give the woman on their staff the chance to "run the show" for one day. I doubt I have ever heard of a more absurd approach to the notorious glass ceiling that prevents women from reaching top leadership positions, here and abroad.
This is truly tantamount to sticking our faces against the glass and making silly faces. What is the idea? To prove that women are "competent" enough for the top jobs? Well, when did competence have anything to do with such matters? Women are often more capable and better qualified than the men from whom they take orders. Because they are women, however, their suggestions are regarded, at best, with affectionate humour. UNESCO's plan reminds me of nothing so much as a father who takes his small son on his knees so that he can pretend to "drive" a stationary car. I sincerely doubt that, once women have shown they are capable of getting things done efficiently (which they prove every day anyway), the scales will suddenly fall from the patriarchs' eyes, and they will slap their collective forehead and cry out in wonder: "My word! Imagine that! The other half can actually think!"
Please, let's get real. Affirmative action policies (or even parodies thereof, such as this idea) will not work as long as patronising and oppressive behaviour makes sense to those with the power to adopt it.
Nadine Hashem
MouniraChildren under fire
Sir- To say that one is shocked and offended at the recent declarations by Israeli Foreign Minister David Levy would be a gross understatement. Mr Levy's assertion that Israel would respond to Hizbullah's attacks with "a child for every child" is horrendous. The sad thing is that these threats were made before the whole world. And how did the international community respond? With barely a frown.
It is shocking that in the third millennium, personalities like Levy are still left to wreak havoc in the world and allowed to utter such blatant threats. Here is the state of Israel declaring in effect that it might very well deliberately attack children, without even bothering to hide such cruelty with a fake apologetic mask. What happened to the Geneva Convention? What happened to the idea of assuring the safety of civilians in war? What happened to children's rights? And what would have happened, I wonder, had these cruel statements been made by any body other than an Israeli foreign minister? Would the world have watched by in silence?
It is imperative that Israeli injustice and cruelty be exposed in front of the whole world. The state of Israel has to stop acting like the victim in the Middle East when it is so obvious from both its actions and its words that it is definitely the oppressor. Israel has been killing Arab adults and children, demolishing their homes and wiping out their villages for half a century. There is nothing new in such actions. Yet, that Israeli officials should continue to talk the talk of war and utter such intolerable threats is beyond the limit that should be accepted in the world today. Mr Levy probably thought he was coming across as being tough on the safety of his citizens, especially their children. He probably forgot that Arabs love their children too.
Mounir Adel
Heliopolis
