Combating Violence against
Women and Children in Egypt
2007-2012
Some Project Statistics
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$18MM project
5 years in length
Number of VAW NGOs funded: 13
Geographic reach: governorates across Egypt
20 certified VAW trainers were trained
Citizens reached through awareness raising and
advocacy initiatives: 33,693 (M: 8,152, F: 25,541)
• Number of women served by project grantees: 8,407
The Challenge: VAW
• Violence against women, or VAW, is a universal
problem; there is no single or simple solution
• It’s a problem that only recently has begun to be
addressed in more developed countries, including the
U.S.
VAW in Egypt
• GOE surveys have for years shown that VAW is a
problem
• 2005 poll yielded some frightening statistics and
attitudes
• Nearly half of women aged 15-49 who had been
married subjected to violence
• Half of women said husband is justified in hitting his
wife if she disobeys him
• 40% of women said an acceptable reason was wife
going out without telling husband; 20% said burning
meal was a valid reason
USAID’s Involvement
• High level interest in women’s issues including VAW
• Opportunity to build local capacities and reach and
help Egyptian women
• Unique among USAID projects globally
Analyzing the Challenge
• VAW is multifaceted and must
be attacked on
many levels
• Like all gender
challenges,
addressing it
requires
engagement and
support of both
women and men
Legal/Policy/Institutional Challenge
• VAW is a legal and justice sector issue
Social/Attitudinal Challenge
• VAW also is a social
issue
• Lack of laws/policy and
lack of implementation
reflects citizens’ attitudes
Tackling the Challenge
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Design
Implementation
Following local lead
Tracking/analyzing media
Assembling the Team
• Only ex pat was the COP
• Senior professional staff with experience and
relationships
Gathering Data/Building Consensus
• First step: understand the nature/extent of problem
• Groundbreaking study used to design interventions
• Community level research on transactional marriages
Egypt Violence against Women Study
• Summary of study:
http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNADQ885.pdf
• VAW – a continuing problem
• High numbers of women victimized
• Legal reforms needed
• Lack of services
• Lack of use of services
• Media portray it as “women’s issue”
Track One: “Top Down” Policy Interventions
• VAW Strategy Framework
• Advocacy and public awareness initiatives
Track Two: Grass Roots Solutions
• Grant program
• Support to NGOs across Egypt to enable them to
develop and implement locally appropriate,
coordinated community responses to gender-based
violence
The Project’s Support to NGOs
• Funding
• Technical
assistance
• Training
• Networking
• Materials and tools
• Final “fair” and video
Locally Appropriate Approaches
• Focus was on local solutions so worked with
community-based NGO grantees
• How to change attitudes? Work with locally respected
institutions and leaders and both women and men
Grantee Initiatives
• Advocacy and awareness
• Legal services
• Economic
empowerment/life skills
• Psychological counseling
including listening and
counseling
• Referrals
• New models of care in
shelters
The Results
• Groundbreaking Egypt VAW Study
• National strategy
• Built local capacity to conduct advocacy, education,
and provide services (and left written tools/resources)
• Educated and engaged citizens
• Provided services to victims
• Growing network of qualified, committed advocates
and service providers
Lessons Learned
• Changing behaviors requires changing mindsets
• Changing behaviors requires many stakeholders
• Changing behaviors must be grounded in local
realities
Recommendations
• GOE needs to dedicate human and funding
resources
• NGOs need continued outside support
• USAID should continue support and can do so via
DG sector and other sectors including health,
education, economic growth