Be Aware of Your Rights

 “Press release  “Be aware of your rights 

ECWR Launches “Be Aware of Your Rights” Campaign for Combating Violence Against Women

(Cairo November 25^th, 2017) The 16 Days of Activism for Combating Violence Against Women start every year on the 25^th of November till the 10^th December, the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and that’s because women’s rights are human rights.

As a part of this international campaign, ECWR launches the Campaign “Be Aware of Your Rights” for combating violence against women. The campaign aims at:

• Raising the awareness of the serious implications of VAW, its different forms and economic cost
• Encouraging women to speak out whenever they are subject to violence and seek justice.

The activities of this campaign will be held in 12 governorates (Cairo, Giza, Monoufia, Aswan, South Sinai, Minya, Qena, New Valley, Sohag, Ismailia, Assiut, and Fayoum).

These activities will be carried out by young female leaders and coordinators of “Women’s Voices Project” in the form of seminars for women to raise their awareness of the risks of experiencing violence and the importance of speaking out in case of being subject to violence.

ECWR will participate in a conference organized by the National Council of Women (NCW) titled “Egyptian Women’s and Sustainable Development”.

ECWR also participates in a discussion on the draft law of the Personal Status Code; in cooperation with Al-Ahram Center for Political & Strategic Studies along with number of political parties and Egyptian NGOs

Believing in its role as a civil society organization dedicated for women and in the framework of the 16 days campaign, ECWR carried out the following activities:

• • Publishing an explanatory paper that includes information about the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence campaign. The paper also includes the definition of VAW, its forms, the reality of VAW and domestic violence in Egypt, sexual harassment, causes and implications of VAW.
  • Conducting a study entitled (Restorative Justice: How Law Protects Women?!).The study addresses number of topics including; the definition of violence and its forms, the international conventions aimed at protecting women against violence. The study looks at the legal reality women face in Egypt including the family laws (early marriage, urfi marriage “common-law marriage“, divorce, Al-Khula, alimony) the Penal code (domestic violence, crimes based on honor, denial of descent, and rape). The study also addressed the Labor Law. The study concludes with recommendations for developing the legal system addressing violence against women.
  • Publishing the research paper “Marriage and Descent”. The paper discusses how to proof the urfi marriage, descent, and divorce.
  • Publishing ECWR’s vision for amending the Personal Status Law, in order to ensure the best interest of children.

In addition to that, ECWR will organize several field activities during the 16 days as listed in the following table: