Carving space: Women challenging Egypt's gendered labour divide - Society

Al-Ahram Weekly

4 days ago

Despite Egypt's low global ranking on gender equality, women are making quiet inroads into male-dominated professions—from metro driving and butchery to painting and carpentry—challenging societal expectations and reshaping the meaning of work and agency across the country.
Their stories reflect the immense potential of Egyptian women to reshape economic participation, even as Egypt continues to rank near the bottom of global gender equality indices.
In recent years, Egypt has taken unprecedented steps to enhance women's economic empowerment and increase their representation in public life. The National Strategy for Women's Empowerment, launched in 2017, aligns with Egypt's Vision 2030, promoting gender equality through a national action plan.
According to the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development, women now hold 26 percent of positions in government—the highest share to date—and 15 percent of seats in parliament, with 162 of 596 representatives. Between 2021 and 2022, 209 women were appointed as judges in the State Council and Public Prosecution, marking a significant milestone in judicial representation.
But on the global stage, the picture is more sobering. The World Economic Forum's (WEF) Global Gender Gap Report 2025 places Egypt 139th out of 148 countries, having closed just 62.5 percent of its gender gap—ranking it among the ten lowest globally.
Women remain starkly underrepresented in Egypt's workforce. They account for just 7 percent of senior leadership roles, and only 18 percent of working-age women are in the labour force, compared to 73 percent of men, according to a 2024 World Bank report. Nearly half the population is female—yet their economic potential remains largely untapped. The World Bank estimates that closing the gender employment gap could boost GDP by around 56 percent.
Structural, legal, and social barriers persist. World Bank research reveals that 45 percent of men and 33 percent of women oppose using childcare services outside the family—a critical obstacle in a society where women remain the primary caregivers. Moreover, one in four men say they don't support women working at all.
Still, a growing number of women are defying these norms—carving new paths in jobs long seen as the domain of men—Ahram Online profiles four of these trailblazers.
Hend Hashem: Driving change on Cairo's metro
When passengers board Cairo's metro, a lifeline for millions of commuters, some are surprised to find a woman at the controls. At 33, Hend Hashem became Egypt's first female metro driver in 2021, swapping a career in mathematics for the driver's cabin.
Her journey began unexpectedly during maternity leave, when she saw a government announcement inviting women to apply for the newly opened role. She passed a series of rigorous exams—both theoretical and practical—and made history.
The public response has been mixed. Some passengers pause at the cabin to confirm, with wide eyes, that a woman is indeed behind the wheel.
'Some would hesitate to board, worried about 'women's driving,'' she says with a faint smile.
However, there have also been moments of affirmation—such as a passenger with special needs thanking her for her patience. For Hashem, mastering the technical demands of train operations is part of the job. The real challenge, she says, lies in overcoming doubt.
Taqawa El-Helawany: Butcher of Imbaba
For 35 years, Taqawa El-Helawany has held her ground in Cairo's Imbaba market—running her own butcher shop and even influencing local meat prices. Formerly an executive secretary, she returned to school and earned a diploma, the only one of her siblings to do so.
Breaking into butchery wasn't easy. She faced harassment, mockery, and turf wars from male butchers. But she stood firm, eventually winning their respect.
'I knew from the beginning this field wouldn't be easy,' she says. 'I confronted them until I carved out a place for myself.'
Resistance also came from the wives of male butchers—women who had long assisted their husbands and saw El-Helawany as a threat. 'They told me to 'make use of my degree,'' she says. 'But I told them: 'I'm working with my own money.''
By controlling the sausage casing trade in Ezbet El-Saaida and paying her suppliers in advance, El-Helawany gained autonomy over pricing and supply, thereby establishing herself as a market fixture.
She also used her earnings to send all her daughters to university. Her eldest is now an engineer. And while she briefly joined a political party to serve her neighbourhood, she later withdrew, disillusioned by self-interest. She has since supported charitable efforts distributing food and essentials in Imbaba.
Heba Abdulrahman: Painting a future in colour
Heba Abdulrahman is a decorative painter and entrepreneur with a growing reputation across Egypt. Her tools are brushes and colour palettes—but she's also a skilled carpenter and electrician, often working up to 18 hours a day.
Her journey into the trade began 15 years ago, when she offered to renovate a doctor's clinic, charging only for supplies and promising not to take a fee if he wasn't satisfied. The doctor was sceptical—until a decoration engineer approved her work. The commissions soon followed.
Moving between rented flats, she picked up carpentry and repair work to save money. But painting remained her passion. Her father had taught her the basics of maintenance; over time, she turned those lessons into refined artistic skill.
Scepticism was relentless. She was told her place was 'in the kitchen' and accused of 'stealing men's jobs.' However, client praise and the quality of their work silenced critics.
Despite her growing success, Abdulrahman notes a persistent pay gap: women in manual trades still earn less than men for similar work. Her next goal is to open a workshop and train other women, sharing the skills that have built her career.
Asmaa Mujahid: Usta of the workshop
In a small furniture workshop, Asmaa Mujahid carries a title few women ever hear: Usta—a term used in Egypt to describe a master craftsperson, typically a man.
Her entry into carpentry was unexpected. When her husband fell ill, she stepped in to finish his outstanding work. Upon recovering, he was stunned by the quality of what she'd done.
Since then, Mujahid has not only mastered the trade but refined it. She introduced new designs and exhibited furniture in collaboration with IKEA—moves that made her husband proud.
At first, male colleagues baulked. 'One craftsman said, 'We're not used to taking orders from women,'' she recalls. But her professionalism won them over. Some now seek her guidance.
She's sustained injuries—cuts and splinters are part of the job—but wears them as badges of honour. Her ambition now is to expand the workshop into a full-fledged factory.
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