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Egypt's family planning policies tested by COVID-19

Egypt has struggled to lower divorce rates and to convince people to have no more than two kids, but the pandemic may challenge these polices, as more couples stay home during lockdown.

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A family is seen wearing face masks, during the coronavirus pandemic, in the main train station of Cairo, Egypt, March 19, 2020. — Mohamed Shokry/picture alliance via Getty Images

To feed his wife and three daughters, Mahmoud Imam worked two jobs in Cairo — as an office assistant in the morning and a waiter in the afternoon. Now, as the Egyptian government enforces measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Imam is being forced to stay home.

For Imam, 35, this may be the opportunity to realize his dream of having a son.

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