In the words of Suzzane Magdy: " I now understand that parenting is not just about teaching, it is a journey of sharing and empowering"

Suzanne Magdy, a 42-year-old wife and mother of two children: Mohamed (16 years old) and Yousef (13 years old) from Cairo governorate. Suzanne joined her son Mohamed in one of the balanced parentings between motherhood and fatherhood camps organized by UN Women Egypt in partnership with the National Council for Women, and in collaboration with the Institute for European Cooperation and Development (IECD) and Alb Kebeer (Big Heart) Non-Government Organization (NGO) during the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence. The camps brought together around 650 parents with their children from three technical applied schools: Electro Misr and Don Bosco in Cairo, and Al-Wardian in Alexandria as well as families from Al-Asmart district.

Through interactive activities and discussions that involved the parents and the students, the camps aimed at raising awareness about the main principles of balanced upbringing to ensure that parents raise both their sons and daughters equally. The camps also tackled the negative stereotypes around the gender roles at home and highlighted the importance of men’s and boys’ participation in unpaid care and domestic work at home and how this impact the wellbeing of the whole family.

These camps were organized under the framework of UN Women Programme "Women’s Economic Empowerment in Egypt", implemented through the generous support of the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).

"I was the elder daughter among three children raised in a humble family. My father was a casual worker who used to work for long hours and come home late and tired. My mother was the backbone of the family as she took care of us, alongside managing the household chores. For instance, my brother was not allowed to spend time with his friends past midnight and my sister and I faced even stricter rules. At times of disobedience, beating was the solution my family turned to. I now understand that this was their way of showing love and care, as they believed this was how they could best raise us to be good people.

Growing up, I faced "lecturing" both at home and school. However, at school the strict treatment together with being bullied by one of my teachers made me drop out when I was 14 years old. I now regret not continuing my education, as it could have helped me support my family during tough times, especially when my late husband suffered from kidney failure without [medical] insurance. After his death, I returned to my father's house to live with my mother, who helped me in taking care of my two children, as I was unemployed. As a single mother, I played both parental roles, but I struggled with anger and emotional stress, often unintentionally mistreating my children. I treated them the way I had been treated as a child, believing it was normal. For example, I always taught them that boys don't cry and shouldn't be emotional. It wasn’t until attending the "parenting camp" that I realized the importance of allowing my sons to express their emotions, rejecting the old misconception that boys must hide their feelings and should not be emotional. Now, I embrace the idea that my sons are allowed to be emotional.

When Mohamed, my son, insisted that I join him in the camp, I initially planned to ask my brother to accompany him, on my behalf. If this had happened, I would have missed a lot. My participation in the camp opened-up my eyes on negative practices that I would never think that they are wrong. It made me realize the importance of sharing both the fun and the challenging moments with my sons. I do not recall an earlier time where I played with them. During the camp, I was happy and felt my son’s happiness, while we were painting together a drawing of two connected hearts. I was touched by Mohamed’s words at the end of the camp when he described me as “The Best Woman in the World” on the drawing that we worked on together.

I thought that I have missed a lot not having a daughter, but I realized that all children are a blessing, whether a boy or girl. They have feelings and they should have the safe space to speak their mind and express themselves. All I cared about is my sons’ success at school – to be always “the good boys”. Yet, I learned that this should not affect our relation, and I should not be distant from my sons’ daily events, stories, and interests. “Sharing” is the key [factor in our relationship].

Through the interactive sessions provided during the camp, I got a chance to learn about important issues such as gender roles, communication between parents and children, misconceptions, positive and negative parenting techniques. The camp gave me the chance to spend quality time with my son and join other parents and students in various activities all of which made me laugh and cry from the bottom of my heart with my son for the first time in 12 months since his father’s death.

Throughout our lives, we as fathers and mothers alike, are exposed to several stressful [negative] messages from family members, peers, media, and the society in general. However, our children should not bear the brunt of this pressure. As a single mother to two sons, I am committed to instilling the concept of "sharing" in every aspect of our lives. We will share moments of joy, household chores, responsibilities, and challenges, creating a family dynamic where everyone feels safe to express both their vulnerabilities and successes. This, I believe, is the foundation of a balanced and healthy relationship.”