This author takes the stance that human rights of women can only flourish within a democratic society. This reasoning is used to explain how Egypt, which has ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), has not made significant progress in terms of women's rights, while the United States, which has not ratified the Convention, has made progress in the area of women's rights. Because Egypt's laws are infused with Islamic Law (Sharia), the author argues, women cannot and will not receive equal treatment in Egypt despite the CEDAW.