A native of Mansoura city, Aya Youssef was filmed belly-dancing by a colleague without her permission when she went on a trip for some teachers on the Nile cruise in Cairo
After the video went viral on social media, Youssef was sacked from her job and was also divorced by her husband. Image courtesy: YouTube
An Egyptian teacher’s belly-dancing video during a cruise on a Nile river has gone viral on social media, sparking debate about women’s rights in the country.
A native of Mansoura city, Aya Youssef was filmed belly-dancing by a colleague without her permission when she went on a trip for some teachers on the Nile cruise in Cairo.
After the video went viral on social media, Youssef was sacked from her job and was also divorced by her husband. In the footage, the teacher is seen wearing a blouse with trousers and a headscarf while dancing to music with her male teaching staff.
According to a report by Egypt Independent, Youssef said that her life was destroyed because of the video, adding that an unscrupulous person tried to tarnish her reputation by bringing the camera close to her and displaying her in a negative manner. “I lost my job, my husband, my home and my mother got sick,” said Youssef, adding that her family had been hugely impacted by the video.
An Arabic teacher with several years of experience, Youssef was sacked from her position in a primary school in Dakahlia Governorate in the Nile Delta.
As per a BBC report, Ms Youssef’s video was criticized by Egyptian conservatives who claimed that she acted in a shameful manner. One Twitter user wrote that since she is married, she should not be dancing with other men while another user said that education had reached a low level in in the country.
After the primary teacher’s ordeal was highlighted, the Head of the Egyptian Centre for Women’s Rights, Dr Nihad Abu Qusman helped her to file a complaint against her wrongful dismissal.
The Education Directorate of Daqahlia also intervened in the matter and assisted Youssef get a job as an Arabic language teacher in one of the experimental language schools in Mansoura.
Youssef stated that she was thankful to everyone who supported her during such difficult times and the Education Directorate’s decision to assist her in coming back to work has helped her restore some of her dignity.