First Veiled News Anchor Appears on Egypt State TV

For the past 52 years, Egypts state owned Television never allowed news anchors to wear Islamic Headscarf.

Veiled women employed in the TV industry were given jobs away from the cameras.

But the new Muslim Brotherhood-led government has introduced new rules, saying that nearly 70 per cent of Egyptian women wear the headscarf.

However, a woman presenter has appeared on Egyptian state TV in an Islamic headscarf for the first time since the station opened in 1960.

Fatima Nabil wore a cream-coloured headscarf as she read a news bulletin. The presenter later said: “At last the revolution has reached state television.”

Under the government of ex-President Hosni Mubarak there was an unofficial ban on women presenters covering their hair.

Fatima Nabil appeared in the headscarf to read the mid-day news bulletin on Sunday.

She is expected to be followed by other news and weather presenters similarly dressed.

New Information Minister Salah Abdel-Makshoud, a Brotherhood member, has pointed out that many women appearing on other Arab and international TV channels cover their hair.

Under Mubarak’s regime, veiled women employed in the TV industry were given jobs away from the cameras.

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