Radwa Helmi on Saturday became the first woman to sit on the bench of Egypt’s Council of State, the country’s highest court. Since the court’s institution in 1946, there has not been a single female Judge on its bench. The council has long opposed the nomination of women. This persisted until October 3, 2021, when President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi appointed 98 female judges. Judge Helmi was the first to take a seat on the bench. Although there is no rule that prohibits women from serving as judges in Egypt, the judiciary has long been dominated by men in the Muslim-majority country. Women have been marginalized in Egypt since the country’s establishment as a modern state in the 19th century. In 1956, women were given the ability to vote and run for public office. However, his personal freedoms have remained restricted. Tahany el-Gebaly was appointed to the Egyptian Constitutional Court in 2003, making her the country’s first female judge. Despite this, according to Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, there is no Islamic decree that prohibits women from holding high-ranking positions and traveling alone. , or have an equal share of the inheritance rights. Judge Helmi expressed pride in her “great responsibility” and congratulated Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on his historic decision. She described the decision as “an essential part of supporting all Egyptian women” during a press conference.