Women in Rural AreasWomen in Rural AreasByBy

Prof. Magdy MadkourProf. Magdy Madkour

ALARI, Ain Shams University, EgyptALARI, Ain Shams University, Egypt Senior Advisor, Bibliotheca AlexandrinaSenior Advisor, Bibliotheca Alexandrina

Supervisor, AGERI, ARC-EgyptSupervisor, AGERI, ARC-Egypt

Women are a great human asset for any Women are a great human asset for any country and their role in society is critical for country and their role in society is critical for development.development.

Women represent Women represent 18.6%18.6% of the total labor force of the total labor force in Egypt. in Egypt. “2.8 million”“2.8 million”

Rural Women constitute Rural Women constitute 65%65% of the total of the total number of women in Egypt, and provide number of women in Egypt, and provide 51%51% or more of the Agriculture Labor Force. or more of the Agriculture Labor Force.

Women share with men most of the agricultural Women share with men most of the agricultural duties and labor either duties and labor either insideinside or or outsideoutside the house, the house, and they play a pivotal role in:and they play a pivotal role in:

Child Education, nutrition and health,Child Education, nutrition and health, Family Planning,Family Planning, Animal and Poultry production,Animal and Poultry production, Food and Dairy processing,Food and Dairy processing, Crop production, marketing and sales,Crop production, marketing and sales, Different agricultural practicesDifferent agricultural practices (Seeding – Weeding – Fertilizing)(Seeding – Weeding – Fertilizing)

Age CategoryAge Category% Women Labor% Women Labor

15-1915-1913.313.3

20-2420-2411.711.7

25-2925-2911.811.8

30-3430-3410.410.4

35-3935-3912.912.9

40-4440-4410.410.4

45-4945-499.69.6

TotalTotal80.280.2

50-5450-546.06.0

55-5955-593.83.8

60 and above60 and above2.02.0

Distribution of Women Labor Force in Distribution of Women Labor Force in Egypt by Egypt by AGEAGE

Educational LevelEducational Level% Women Labor% Women Labor

IlliterateIlliterate5555

Read and/or WriteRead and/or Write1111

Up to High SchoolUp to High School2727

University DegreeUniversity Degree6.46.4

Distribution of Women Labor Force in Distribution of Women Labor Force in Egypt by Egypt by EDUCATIONAL LEVELEDUCATIONAL LEVEL

Job CategoryJob Category% Women Labor% Women Labor

Agriculture Labor,Agriculture Labor,

Farming, FishingFarming, Fishing71.371.3

Science Related JobsScience Related Jobs10.110.1

Technical JobsTechnical Jobs3.13.1

Office/Clerical JobsOffice/Clerical Jobs6.96.9

Distribution of Women Labor Force in Distribution of Women Labor Force in Egypt by Egypt by JOB CATEGORYJOB CATEGORY

15.1%15.1% of FAMILIES IN EGYPT are supported of FAMILIES IN EGYPT are supported exclusivelyexclusively by women labor in RURAL and by women labor in RURAL and URBAN communities.URBAN communities.

However, However, 82%82% of those families are present in of those families are present in URBANURBAN areas, and are usually families small in areas, and are usually families small in number and are lead by number and are lead by widowed motherswidowed mothers..

In In RURAL AREASRURAL AREAS, women are not usually , women are not usually empowered to manage the agricultural land they empowered to manage the agricultural land they INHERITEDINHERITED, and therefore the land is rented to , and therefore the land is rented to the closest MALE relative.the closest MALE relative.

(Ownership of agricultural land by women amounts to 5.3%)(Ownership of agricultural land by women amounts to 5.3%)

Role of Women in Rural ExtensionRole of Women in Rural Extension

A number of obstacles hinders the A number of obstacles hinders the performance of Female Extension Workers performance of Female Extension Workers (FEW)(FEW) in Rural societies including: in Rural societies including:

Inadequate planning, implementation Inadequate planning, implementation and evaluation of training programs.and evaluation of training programs.

Lack of knowledge and skills for Lack of knowledge and skills for information dissemination.information dissemination.

Lack of communication skills.Lack of communication skills.

IFIF properly empowered, properly empowered,

Female Extension Workers (FEW) could:Female Extension Workers (FEW) could:

Play a vital role in the economic development of Play a vital role in the economic development of

Rural Rural Communities by creating employment/job Communities by creating employment/job

opportunities and by empowering Rural women who opportunities and by empowering Rural women who

form the backbone of agricultural labor force in Egypt.form the backbone of agricultural labor force in Egypt.

Thank You Thank You