More than 500 women in Egypt carry a license to use weapons for self-defense in accordance with the law, according to official Public Security Sector statistics.
The majority of females who obtained the licenses are former MPs or prominent businesswomen.
According to the official figures, 160,328 male citizens obtained arms licenses, nationwide.
The Interior Ministry examines all males and females before granting them licences.
The Ministry specified that conditions for obtaining an arms license, whether for a man or a woman, include being at least 21 years of age, free of psychiatric or neurological illnesses, and free of criminal charges.
Individuals can submit requests for licenses to police stations, while private security companies can submit their requests to the Public Security Sector of the Interior Ministry.
Informed sources told Al-Masry Al-Youm that Jihan al-Sadat, wife of late President Mohamed Anwar al-Sadat, and Suzanne Mubarak, wife of former President Mohamad Hosni Mubarak, are among the women granted arms licenses.
Mubarak took two pistol shooting courses — one in Egypt and the other in the Royal Arms Club in London, the sources added.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
