Combating Violence against Women and Children in Egypt

2007-2012

Some Project Statistics

• $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 multi-faceted 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

• 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