Under Egyptian law, responsibility for Hegazy, who was 17 at the time, and his younger brother fell not to his mother but to his 90-year-old grandfather, who had dementia.
Hegazy's mother, Eman Helal, began the long process of challenging the country's guardianship law to take control of her family affairs and get access to her late husband's pension and bank accounts. Three years on, her legal difficulties continue. "We weren't ready for any of this," said Hegazy.
The guardianship legislation is one of a number of "personal status laws" that lawyers say are outdated.
This story is from the May 26, 2023 edition of The Guardian Weekly.
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This story is from the May 26, 2023 edition of The Guardian Weekly.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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