ASMAA FATHI

Cairo- The Center for Egyptian Women’s Legal Assistance (CEWLA) has provided legal support and assistance to women about their rights under the Egyptian Constitution, laws and the international conventions since it was founded in 1995. “The center focuses on justice, equality and freedom to empower women,” said Nada Nashat, a lawyer and head of women’s public participation program at the CEWLA.

‘2023 was a year full of activities’

Speaking about the activities of the center in 2023, she said, “In cooperation with six other organizations, we carried out many activities for the amendments of laws, including the Personal Status Law, to eliminate violence against women. 2023 was a year full of activities for us. We started working on the proposed anti-discrimination commission stipulated in the Egyptian 2014 Constitution but it has not been completed yet.”

In 2023, the center also worked on several other projects for effective implementation of United Nations resolutions on women, security and peace. “We also carried out awareness-raising activities about women’s sexual and reproductive health and the anti-trafficking law criminalized sex trafficking and labor trafficking. We provided support to victims of online blackmail.”

‘We demand an immediate ceasefire in Gaza’

Nada Nashat also talked about the situation of people in Gaza and Sudan. “The ongoing conflict in Sudan and Israel’s war on Gaza have revealed many issues that must be addressed and worked on. Unfortunately, we are unable to assist defenseless civilians in Sudan and Gaza. We always try to shed light on the situation of women and girls in Sudan and Gaza when we participate in local and international conferences. We demand an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.”

The center faces challenges due to the lack of funding. “We carried out a project on human trafficking with the support of the German Embassy in Cairo. However, they stopped funding after we released a statement calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Our center is an organization aiming to promote human rights and we cannot remain silent against what has been happening in Gaza.”

The Center for Egyptian Women’s Legal Assistance is a foundation based in Cairo, providing legal support to survivors of all forms of violence against women and the most vulnerable people such as children and people with disabilities. The center has nine units providing support to women, children and people with disabilities. Recently, the center has worked on a project aiming to protect survivors of sexual violence.

“The survivors of sexual violence must be protected when they report the sexual violence against them. We demand the amendment of the Personal Status Law and effective implementation of the Egyptian Constitution, laws and the international conventions to eliminate violence against women.”

Future projects of the center

 Speaking about the future projects and activities of the center, Nada Nashat said, “We will keep struggling for the amendment of the Personal Status Law and the effective implementation of UN Resolution 1325. We will keep pushing the government for the establishment of an anti- discrimination commission protecting survivors of violence against women. We will keep promoting women’s economic and social rights, supporting feminist organizations and combating all forms of violence against women.”