Eva Habil
Egyptian politician
Eva Habil is an Egyptian lawyer. In 2008, she became Egypt's first female mayor when she was appointed mayor of Kom Buha, a town of Upper-Egypt with a population of about 10,000. She was chosen over five male candidates, including her brother. She was born in Kom Buha. Like most of the village residents, she is a Coptic Christian. Her father was the mayor there until 2002. She studied and practiced law in Cairo, and is a member of the National Democratic Party.
Quotes
edit- I’m a woman and I can.
- The village is now unemployment-free: everyone works – some in agriculture (the village owns only 300 feddans (acres) of arable land, and the farmed spaces are gradually growing smaller), and others in private businesses. A few of them work in public posts, while the majority works in poultry farming. Although the majority of women breed poultry and cattle at home at an extensive rate, the men see it as an activity that lies beyond the scope of “work”. In general, women’s housework and small projects run from home are not considered work. Only two women in the village work as physicians in the small health clinic, three as lawyers, and a small number of them work as teachers.
- Women are denied inheritance, be it land, real estate, assets, or commercial enterprises, as part of mistaken cultural and social legacies. By applying those, inheritance is believed to be kept intact and under the same family name, rather than go to a woman whose husband carries a different last name. This is an entrenched conviction for the men in Upper Egypt, whose land stands for their virtue and honour.
- I plan to work with the residents and officials on improving the environment of the countryside which has suffered in the past decades due to lack of urban planning and sufficient health regulations.
- My political engagement within the party propelled me to contribute to civil society, especially enhancing political participation for women and combating illiteracy among residents of the countryside.
- I helped my father look after the village since 1990 when his health began to deteriorate. I always wanted to be mayor and was certain that I had the capacity to do so.