THE number of female heads of household has jumped in the past decade to 60 per cent, according to a recent study by the Cairo-based Alliance of Arab Women (AAW), a non-governmental group. “In 60 per cent of Egyptian households, women are the sole or main breadwinners for their families, either because they are divorced or their husbands are unemployed, imprisoned or permanently sick,” says AAW Chairwoman Hoda Badran. "This number is increasing as many husbands are out of a job, ill or behind bars," adds Hoda, who commissioned the study. It's becoming more and more common for women in the Egyptian society to adopt the role of the sole or main breadwinner for their families. "However, these women, who pursue semi-professional occupations, face a lot of legal and social problems, the most important of which is that many of them do not have an identity card, health insurance or the right to receive a pension when they become old," Hoda stresses. She says female breadwinners, especially if they are single, suffer from social pressure, guilt and resentment. "There is still the belief among lower-class families in Egypt that men are expected to be the breadwinners, while the women take care of the children," Hoda said. These societal expectations and gender norms can leave female breadwinner feeling worried, pressurised and resentful. “The study found that, while some women did not want to be in charge, they were forced to be the main income provider for their families for economic reasons,” Hoda comments, adding that, to address the problem, the AAW study has recommended increasing investments in women's development through training programmes. "The study recommends that the Government should speed up poverty alleviation programmes and improve the economic status of female heads of households through training," she adds. It also calls for advancing the social status of female wage earners, who are usually poor, poorly educated and isolated. “Training helps these women find work in acceptable conditions for better money,” the study said. "It also calls for empowering female breadwinners by creating income-generating opportunities for them with the help of the Government and NGOs,” Hada said. The AAW will continue supporting the advancement of female household leaders in Egypt through offering them legal protection and protecting their labour rights, Hoda stresses.
