Arab West Report Egyptian press summaries and media research for dialogue

In a discussion with an aware businessman who cares about the general welfare of the Egyptian society, Fawzī discuses the question: what is the situation of social coherence in the society now? Fawzī believes that addressing this incoherence is not the responsibility of a single body, but rather it requires united efforts of all components of the society. He refers to six major challenges that face society and undermine its progress. The first is unemployment, meaning the inability to provide basic needs, which results in relative deprivation, social spite, addiction, illegal migration, , and economic frustration that leads to crimes. The second challenge is delay of marriage, or spinsterhood, where 17% of “spinster” girls are at a marriageable age. This matter led to phenomena such as secret and ‘urfī marriages, as well as an increase of incest and homosexuality. Another challenge is the health conditions of Egyptian citizens, where statistics refer to a decline in the health of many. The blowing of different cultural winds carries intensive sectarian tide in Egyptian society from the Gulf countries, which does not know religious pluralism. This is a fourth challenge. A fifth challenge is the societal violence which has clearly spread in families, schools, streets and places of work. The dominating law of sabotage and violence is the sixth challenge against societal development, which cannot be separated from law and democracy.