UNITED NATIONS — With a leader of Muslim Brotherhood's political arm in Egypt's presidential palace and its members dominating parliament, some deeply patriarchal views the organization has long taught its members are spilling into public view. The Brotherhood's strident statements are reinforcing fears among many Egyptian liberals about the potential consequences of the group's rise to power and creating new awkwardness for President Mohamed Morsi as he presents himself as a new kind of moderate, Western-friendly Islamist. The Brotherhood has warned that a UN declaration on women's rights could destroy society by allowing a woman to travel, work and use contraception without her husband's approval and letting her control family spending. It gave 10 reasons why Muslim countries should “reject and condemn” the declaration, which the UN Commission on the Status of Women is racing to negotiate a consensus deal. The Brotherhood posted the statement on its website, www.ikhwanweb.com, and the website of the party Thursday. Egypt has joined Iran, Russia and the Vatican in threatening to derail the women's rights declaration by objecting to language on sexual and reproductive rights. A coalition of Arab human rights groups called on countries at the Commission on the Status of Women to stop using religion, culture, and tradition to justify abuse of women. “The positions taken by some Arab governments is clearly not representative of civil society views, aspirations or best practices regarding the elimination and prevention of violence against women and girls within our countries,” said the statement issued by the Coalition for Sexual and Bodily Rights in Muslim Societies. — Reuters
