Women in Egypt's New Political Era

A woman holds a poster for independent Islamist candidate Abdel-Moneim Aboul-Fotouh, Cairo, Egypt, May 15, 2012. (Y. Weeks/VOA)

A woman hands out fliers at a women's rights conference that attracted a cross section of Egyptians -- Muslims, Christians, leftists and conservatives. (Y. Weeks/VOA)

It is unclear if the next president of Egypt will help empower women. (Y. Weeks/VOA)

Hundreds of women attended the women's rights conference in Cairo. (Y. Weeks/VOA)

A woman in a niqab sits below a projected image of one of the conference speakers. (Y. Weeks/VOA)

Women clap and chant as presidential hopeful Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh enters the conference hall. (Y. Weeks/VOA)

Women clap and chant as presidential hopeful Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh enters the conference hall. (Y. Weeks/VOA)

Women in the audience listen to speakers. (Y. Weeks/VOA)

Women listen to speakers. (Y. Weeks/VOA)

The World Trade Center Flag is presented as friends and relatives of the victims of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the National September 11 Memorial at the World Trade Center site in New York, September 11, 2012.

A volunteer at the conference hands out campaign literature for presidential hopeful and independent Islamist candidate Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh. (Y. Weeks/VOA)