As more families report FGM incidents in Egypt, advocacy intensifies, and a new bill seeks to increase penalties

Date: Friday, February 5, 2021

A rise in the number of reported cases of FGM in Egypt is seen as a promising sign that the country’s efforts to raise awareness is starting to work.

Hand over the mic to: Aida Nour ElDin, Egypt

Date: Tuesday, November 17, 2020

Aida Nour ElDin is the Chairperson of the Women and Development Association (WDA), a grassroots civil society organization that specializes in providing various services to survivors of violence and raising community awareness in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria, Egypt.

Governments and civil society representatives from the Arab States region come together to prepare for the 63rd Commission on the Status of Women

Date: Monday, February 18, 2019

Representatives from 19 Arab States governments and the international community have gathered from across the region to participate in the Arab regional preparatory meeting for the 63rd Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW63) that took place in Cairo, Egypt on 4 February 2019

African Union calls upon its Member States to prepare for the 63rd Commission on the Status of Women

Date: Monday, February 18, 2019

Over 300 representatives from the African Union Member States came together to participate in the Africa ministerial pre-consultative meeting for the 63rd Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW63) held in Cairo, Egypt, on 5 February 2019.

Challenging gender stereotypes through sport in Egypt

Date: Thursday, January 17, 2019

The Cairo SheWolves is one of the first all-women American football teams in Egypt. Photo: Courtesy of the Cairo Wolves. Gender norms and stereotypes prevail throughout Egypt, even in its bustling capital Cairo. It’s here that a novel project, an all-women American football team— is challenging gender norms in sport. Speaking to UN Women about the Cairo SheWolves, Ziad Gaafar Mohammed, coach of the women’s American football team in Cairo’s Dokki and Mohandeseen...

Statement: UN Women in Egypt congratulates the National Council for Women on the approval of the new law regulating the council

Date: Wednesday, April 18, 2018

In line with the national efforts to advance the status of Egyptian women, UN Women in Egypt congratulated the President of the National Council for Women on the approval of the law passed by the Egyptian Parliament on 15 April concerning regulating the work of the council.

“I learned to respect women”—Tuk Tuk drivers join efforts to make the streets of Cairo safe for women

Date: Monday, January 22, 2018

In November 2010, UN Women started the Cairo Safe City free of Violence against Women and Girls Programme to prevent and respond to sexual harassment and other forms of sexual violence against women in public spaces. Mansheyat Nasser, along with two other neighbourhoods—Ezbet El Haggana and Embaba—was selected to implement the programme, and public transportation, including tuk tuks, were identified as public spaces where women and girls experience sexual harassment on a daily basis.

One-quarter of men in Middle East and North Africa support gender equality

Date: Monday, May 22, 2017

The first-ever study on men and masculinity in the Middle East and North Africa by UN Women and Promundo surveyed 10,000 men across Egypt, Morocco, Lebanon and Palestine. While unequal attitudes dominate, a significant minority support some forms of equality between men and women, especially if they saw their fathers doing the same.

"What if we switched roles?" new social experiment raises awareness of gender stereotypes in the Arab region

Date: Thursday, March 24, 2016

For International Women’s Day this year, UN Women reached out to the region’s youth to virtually shift roles and see the world from each other’s eyes to challenge stereotypes. A social experiment video engaged 20 young men and women from Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Syria. They were asked to switch roles and answer questions as they think the other gender would.

From where I stand: Sahar el-Salab

Date: Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Sahar el-Salab, arguably the most successful woman in the Egyptian banking sector, is currently CEO of a family business and a member of the Arab Network for the Economic Empowerment of Women (Khadija)—a regional network of representatives of social, public and private sectors, supported by UN Women and the European Union.

Advocacy and laws confront trafficking across the Arab States

Date: Thursday, March 3, 2016

A three-year anti-trafficking programme supported by the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women is boosting legal enforcement against the crime in Egypt, Jordan and Morocco.

Egyptian women are key to driving Egypt's growth

Date: Friday, February 12, 2016

During the UN Women Executive Board First Regular Session of 2016, a special discussion on 9 February featured a briefing on how UN Women is helping transform the lives of Egyptian women.

Fostering a new, empowered generation

Date: Monday, January 18, 2016

Youth around the world work on projects to help women in their communities achieve their full potential.

Rapping and rhyming for rights: Yannick Glemarec visits programmes in Egypt

Date: Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Yannick Glemarec, Deputy Executive Director for Policy and Programme, met with volunteer ‘youth ambassadors’, local NGO partners, and community members involved in two of UN Women’s key programmes in Egypt

Give mom back her name: #MyMothersNameIs

Date: Tuesday, March 31, 2015

For men in Egypt and in many other countries in the Middle East, there is a peculiar taboo of not disclosing one's mother’s name in public, lest her name become a subject of shame and ridicule. Over time, she’s only referred to as ‘The mother of her eldest son’.

Stock exchanges ring their opening bells for gender equality

Date: Monday, March 9, 2015

In celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing and International Women’s Day, stock exchanges from around the world joined UN Women, the UN Global Compact and the Sustainable Stock Exchanges Initiative in supporting gender equality and highlighting the pivotal role of the private sector in empowering women.

Community groups interact with Executive Director during her first visit to Egypt

Date: Monday, February 9, 2015

In Cairo from 1-3 February, UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka visited a Cairo Safe City Programme site, and met with key officials, after attending a comprehensive Beijing+20 regional review.

“We count on your leadership to tackle the barriers that remain for Arab women” says Executive Director at Beijing+20 regional review

Date: Thursday, February 5, 2015

Cairo – At the Arab States high-level regional review meeting for Beijing+20, held in Cairo, Egypt from 2–3 February 2015, Member States assessed progress and challenges in implementing the 20-year-old Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and agreed to actively ensure justice and equality for women in the Middle East.

Around the world, women and men of all ages “orange their hoods” to end violence

Date: Thursday, December 11, 2014

From flash mobs to bicycle races, street marches to art exhibits, and even illuminating landmarks and buildings in orange light, people around the world banded together during the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence by “oranging their neighbourhoods.”

Arab and European parliamentarians to meet at ‘Spring Forward for Women’ Conference

Date: Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Brussels — The European Commission, the European Parliament and UN Women this morning kicked off the two-day Spring Forward for Women conference at the European Parliament in Brussels. The Conference brings together women lawmakers from the Arab States and Members of the European Parliament. Participants will share their experiences in advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment in both the European Union and the Arab States.