NERMIN TARIQ

Egypt –Egyptian mothers start preparing bridal trousseau for their daughters from their childhood, they buy many things such as furniture, utensils and electrical appliances. The Egyptian mothers wait for a man to marry their daughters, without thinking about the rights of their daughters when they get divorced or they have a problem with their marriage, which forces women to leave their house and as a result, they become homeless.

Women economically depending on  their husbands and not having a house to take a shelter, suffer from violence in all its forms such as verbal to physical and material violence. 

She was beaten and insulted

Hind Abdel-Al (42) is from the Faisal quarter in Giza, she says, "I and my husband discussed since the beginning of our marriage. When my father was alive I used to go to him after I discussed with my husband.  But after my father died, the owner took the apartment because my father rented it. I was beaten and insulted, but I couldn’t leave the house; there is no place where I can stay in for one day.”

“You don’t have any place to stay in but mine” 

Hoda Hassan (37) is from Al-Marj quarter in Cairo and she says, "After my mother died, I agreed with my sister to sell the family's apartment and we divided the money we received from selling the apartment. I used my money to help my husband, and I bought a new children's room furniture for my son. After a period of time, a discussion occurred between me and my husband, and he told me “you don’t have any place to stay in but mine” He meant if I ask for a divorce from him, I will sleep in the street.”

 My brother's house

Maryam Mahmoud (33) living in Abdin quarter of Cairo says said, "I spent all my money I inherited from my family to buy marriage supplies. In Egypt, we were brought up saying “Your house is your husband's house,” but my husband kicks me out whenever we discuss and I live with my brother in his house but without my children.

I was threatened to be kicked out of the house

  Fadela Ali (47) living in Ghamra quarter in Cairo says, “I had to stay in my husband's house despite all difficulties I faced because I had no house to stay in. My husband forced me to serve his single brother, and if I refused, he threatened to kick me out of the house. I went to stay at my sister's house after I discussed him, but my sister’s husband did not accept my presence for more than three days.”

 

Ghada Abdel Fattah (40) living in  Al-qaumia quarter in Sharqia says, "I will not do what my mother did, that she saved her salary to buy marriage supplies for me. My husband divorced me and married another woman; I stayed with my daughter without a house to stay in. I spent a month in my brother’s house and a month in my uncle’s house until I found a job as a supervisor and an alternative mother in an orphanage, and my daughter lives with me in the house of the orphanage. Now, I collect my salary to buy a house, even a room for my daughter to protect her in the future".

Betrayal in marriage

Suhair Mahmoud (48) living in Shubra quarter of Qalyubia says, "When I covered my husband's betrayal, I used to go to my family's house. After my mother died, my brother got married and began to live in her apartment, and when I went to his house after discussing with my husband his wife didn't accept me, so I went back to my husband's house to be with my children. "

Wafa Ibrahim (36) living in Matareya quarter in Cairo says, "My salary is enough for me but it is not enough to buy an apartment. My father bought apartments for my brothers but she said, “The girl cannot have an apartment because her apartment is her husband’s.” My husband is forcing me to spend all my salary on the expenses of the house and frankly telling me, "If you refuse me, you will leave the house".