Where we work
Egypt
WHY WE WORK IN EGYPT
Gender inequality remains a persistent issue in Egypt, and manifests through e.g. low labor force participation rates among women, women’s underrepresentation in politics, and gender-based violence… According to an Amnesty International report from 2025, women in Egypt continue to experience discrimination both in law and in practice, particularly in areas such as marriage, divorce, child custody, and political representation.
In Egypt, as of 2024, the labor force participation rate for women ages 15-64 stood at 16%, which is significantly lower than the global average of 49%. This indicates that there is still a long way to go in terms of achieving gender parity in the workforce. Similarly, women’s political participation in Egypt remains relatively low. Although there have been some improvements in recent years, women are still underrepresented in political parties and decision-making roles. According to data from the Inter-Parliamentary Union, as of 2025, 27.7% of the members of the parliament in Egypt are women. Women’s increased political representation is crucial for their possibility to shape policies and participate meaningfully in the political sphere.
Gender-based violence remains a pressing issue in Egypt. According to the UN, each year, approximately 7.8 million women are subjected to various forms of violence – whether inflicted by a spouse, fiancé, someone within the women’s close circle, or even strangers in public spaces.. These alarming figures highlight the pervasive nature of GBV and the urgent need for comprehensive measures to address the issue effectively, including technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV)
The practice of female genital mutilation (FGM) continues to be widespread in Egypt, despite it being outlawed in the country. Internationally, FGM is recognized as a violation of the human rights of girls and women. An estimated 87% of girls and women aged 15-49 in Egypt have undergone FGM.
WORKING FOR GENDER JUSTICE INTERNATIONALLY
In addition to Egypt, KVINFO works in Morocco, Tunisia, Jordan, Armenia, Moldova, and Ukraine in the current strategy period.
Click on one of the countries above to read more about our work.
The situation regarding gender-based violence in Egypt is a significant concern. According to the UN, a staggering 99% of Egyptian women have experienced some form of sexual harassment, while 27% have faced domestic violence in their lifetime. These alarming figures highlight the pervasive nature of GBV and the urgent need for comprehensive measures to address this issue effectively.
WHAT WE DO
In Egypt, KVINFO aims to support feminist civil society in a closed civic space with their strategic goals, through knowledge sharing, developing tools and international networking and solidarity.
Examples of work with partners include:
- Advocating for reforms to the Personal Status Law, which governs matters such as marriage, divorce, guardianship, and child custody
- Legal aid for women victims of violence and gender discrimination
- Combatting female genital mutilation (FGM) through awareness raising, advocacy and knowledge production
- Awareness raising on TFGBV, technical and legal aid, and advocacy for better protection against TFGBV
- Challenging gender norms and producing alternative feminist knowledge by analysing Classical Arabic and Islamic Texts
- Campaigns to challenge gender stereotypes, gender based-violence and harassment of women
- Supporting feminist schools
- Involving youth in all the above mentioned activities
WHO WE WORK WITH
In Egypt, KVINFO works with two types of organizations’.
The first type are women’s rights organizations’ with broad outreach and well-established networks.
The second type of organizations’ are small, often relatively newly established and specialized organizations’. They are issue-based, agile and innovative, and develop, apply and adapt new methodologies. They are often localized and work with the specific needs of their communities.
