State adopts holistic approach to build violence-free society for women: Cabinet

CAIRO — Egypt has made great strides in establishing the mechanisms necessary for combat gender-based violence against women and girls, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) said, according to a report released by Cabinet’s media center.

The State has been reinforcing its unshakable commitment to protecting women’s rights and combating all forms of violence and discrimination against them, as one of the pillars of a sustainable just and equitable society, the center noted its report, which shed light on a number of laws, policies, and initiatives to protect Egyptian girls and women from violence.

In 2017, the National Strategy for the Empowerment of Egyptian Women 2030 was adopted, the report says, noting that one of the strategy’s thematic areas is focused on protecting women from all forms of violence.

Two years earlier, and the National Strategy to Combat Violence against Women was adopted, the center pointed out.

The State has paid special attention to implementing comprehensive policies and programs aimed at ensuring women’s safety of women, the center, noting that these policies include enacting and updating laws criminalizing violence in all its forms, and raising community awareness through educational and media campaigns to change negative behaviors and promote a culture of respect and equality towards women, the report says.

The state has also been working with international organizations and NGOs to address women’s issues and share relevant experience, the center said.

The report also highlighted amendments Articles (306) and (242) of the Penal Code to toughen penalties for harassment and female genital mutilation (FGM).

For the first time in Egypt, a National Committee for the Eradication of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) was established in 2019, the report says.

Thanks to these measures, FMG cases among girls aged 0-19 years dropped to 14.2 per cent in 2021, down from 21.4 per cent in 2014, according to the report.

Egyptian women have also made significant progress in the 2023-24 Women, Peace and Security (WPS) index, published by the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security, with a 80 per cent progress, compared to 71.8 per cent in the 2017-18 report.

The index tracks countries’ performance using 13 indicators that measure women’s status, ranging from participation in political and developmental processes, protection from violence and discrimination, and empowerment through education and employment.