NERMÎN TARIQ

Cairo – In Egypt, the rate of unemployment has increased particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic. Egyptian women try to overcome this situation by working from home. 22.4 % of women have participated in the labor force in the country, according to official reports. But there is also an invisible side of the employment: women participating in production from their homes. Thousands of Egyptian women have worked from their homes; they have participated in the production and make a living from their homes. However, their labor is invisible because they don’t have any official guarantees.

Nermin Ibada works from home

45-year-old accessory designer Nermin Ibada said, “After my marriage, I became the mother of two. I had difficulties raising my children while working outside. For this reason, I began to design the accessories from home in order to contribute to the household economy.” Nermin Ibada actually graduated from the tourism and hotel management department at the university. She told us that working in tourism is very hard for her because the working hours are unsuitable for women, who have to raise their children.

“Working from home is very hard. The owners of shops never write your name on your products when they sell them. In fact, this means that all my work is wasted. Women working from home should have a guarantee,” Nermin said that their labor should be officially guaranteed, “Our labor is underestimated.”

Nejla cooks for charities

“My husband worked for charities. Once, I cooked for a charity when we went to Saudi Arabia to deliver aid to people in need. People liked the meals I cooked so I decided to cook for charities when I returned to Egypt,” said 34-year-old Nejla Khalid, who works from home to contribute to the household economy.

50-year-old Zinet Muhammed has worked as a tailor from home for 20 years but without any guarantees. “I still sew wedding dresses. My job is my life. I feel more energetic while working. I tried to work for shops but they offered me really low wages,” she said.

Thousands of women work from home to make a living

Personal development specialist Dr. Besma Selim told us that women have carried out many successful projects from their homes and their number is very high. “Thousands of women have worked from home, particularly during the pandemic, to make a living. Women, who have worked from home or planned to work from home, should search for their individual skills and develop their skills,” said Dr. Besma Selim.

“Thousands of women working from home deserve a guarantee”

Dr. Besma Selim drew attention to the women working from home without any guarantees and she said that the problems faced by women should be urgently solved. “Women, who have to work from home, should have a guarantee. Thousands of women working from home deserve a guarantee to make their labor visible.”