Head of the National Council for Women (NCW) Mervat el Tellawi has called on Al Azhar to clarify the role and status of women in Islam.
The remarks were made during the opening session of a conference dubbed "Women and Terrorism", which was organized by the NCW on Tuesday.
The conference is meant to underscore the role of women in countering terrorism, Tellawi said.
"The woman is considered the first defense line for national security as she raises her children on the values of belonging and protects them from extremist ideas," Tellawi said.
Tellawi called for enabling women on all political, social and economic levels to bring an end to harmful social and cultural traditions.
Tellawi also called on all segments of the society, including women, to unify their ranks against terrorism.