Addressing Sexual Harassment and Promoting Women's Safety: The Experience The Egyptian Centre For Women's Rights

Introduction  

  ECWR is an independent non- governmental organization committed to improving women's status in Egypt and the Arab Region.

    It was founded in 1996 by six young women in Dar el Salam with the aim of improving the political and legal status of women and at the same time confronting all forms of discrimination associated to gender. Their success made them the winner of the World Bank's 2000 Development Marketplace and one of the World's 10 Best Development Programs in 2002. ECWR is an NGO in Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations.

  This report highlight ECWR commendable effort to promote safety and sexuality ECWR designed a special multi-facetted strategy to address sexual harassment and sexual assault in Egypt.

Main Activities

• A sustained campaign against sexual harassment in Egyptian streets and raising awareness about sexual harassment incidents that occurred during the Eid el Fitr holiday in 2006..

• Radio and TV programme in collaboration with some Media houses and kindred NGOs .

• Self defense classes for women.

"Working with the media is an important part of our rapidly growing effort to raise awareness about harassment and help make our streets safer for everyone" said Nehad Abul Komsan chair of ECWR.

Progress And Achievements

Sexual Harassment: 1 Year of Discussion Within the Public Sphere

  Sexual harassment had been a taboo topic in Egypt until the notorious act which took place in October 2006 during Eid el Fitr which was brought to the limelight by private citizens and bloggers. Finally women feel free to speak out and use their right to defend themselves and walk the streets of their country without fear. A year ago there was an absence of real dialogue and it effects on women in Egypt. The recent realization of the gravity of such an act by both men and women is a great victory for everyone. ECWR were featured on Nogoom FM a popular radio station that sponsored the campaign's effort by featuring a discussion on sexual harassment. in Egypt. They also worked with a modern TV station to air a 2 day program about sexual harassment and rape as well as many other TV shows on various popular channels.

  Today, the efforts and bravery of thousands of women and men, coming forward with their stories, time, efforts and ideas have forced the issue of sexual harassment to be addressed by the Egyptian society. Media houses across the country are now host to the infighting attitudes and opinions on the subject and feeble attempts to ignore the problem. Sexual harassment and the controversy surrounding it is now part of public vocabulary. A constant verbalization of the wide spread maltreatment and sexual degradation of women in the streets of Cairo has served to raise awareness and unify women from all walks of life. The ECWR and volunteers across Egypt are continuing to raise awareness and engage community interest to end sexual harassment and gender inequality.

Choosing Segregation  

  In the last few years, Cairo has experienced an increase in the segregation of social venues. By tradition, men have enjoyed supremacy over the social sphere with female social activities limited to areas like the hairdressers and the first car in the metro train. Of Recent there has been a increase of women's only socialization scenes, ranging from private gyms and beaches to the more recent ideas about possible women only cafes and restaurants with   a women only salad   bar due to open soon in Maadi !

  This subject time and again fuels controversy and debate. How does one commend these places for offering women a safe - haven from sexual harassment or scrutiny without also commenting on the social crisis that has made such place necessary? Only the benefits of such places after recognizing the choice of the   Egyptian woman to be sheltered and protected in social situations is gaining popularity. Part of this trend can be linked to the increased need to segregate in order to allow women to feel comfortable and safe. This trend is also indicative of the constant shift towards moral conservatism that calls for the separation of the sexes. The past couple of years have witnessed an increase of female involvement in public protests. In 2005 , women openly protested the sexual harassment and degradation they faced   at the hands of under cover national security police during the constitutional amendment demonstrations .

  In 2006, women   took part in demonstrations   rallying against the mass incidence of sexual violation that took place in Eid of November 2006. these women have also protested other issues and more recently   in March 2007, the women in Qalat El Kabash, an area deemed by the government as a slum in Sayedda Zeinab stood their ground before parliament   demanding compensation after their homes were razed to the ground.

Conclusion

  Women remain largely under - represented in the political arena and their participation in effecting public policy is negligible. Although providing a safe environment for socialization may offer the illusion of social mobility, the reality remains that the voice of the Egyptian women is barely more than tolerated , assembling in small groups to protest against injustice and returning home to pray for change.

  At the moment self defense classes are being organized for women as part of the strategy to break the silence.

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* Text culled from ECWR Monthly Update October 2007

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