* The present document is being issued without formal editing .

Eleventh periodic report submitted by Egypt under article 18 of the Convention, due in 2025 *

[Date received: 22 January 2026]

1.Egypt is committed to cooperating with international human rights mechanisms and wishes to highlight its desire to comply with its treaty obligations. Accordingly, it hereby submits its eleventh periodic report to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women. It remains determined to fulfil the obligations set out in the Convention. The report reviews the most significant developments during the reporting period (2021–2025) with regard to legislation, practices and policies aimed at implementing the Convention. The Committee’s observations on the previous report have been taken into consideration and are addressed individually in the relevant section.

2.The present report was prepared by the Supreme Standing Committee on Human Rights, which was established by decree of the Prime Minister and began its work in at the start of 2020. The Standing Committee is chaired by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and includes all ministries and government bodies with a human rights remit. It is responsible for monitoring Egypt’s implementation of its international obligations under the relevant international treaties and protocols and for proposing the necessary legislative measures and procedures. The technical secretariat of the Committee collects and analyses data and information in order to create a database of the recommendations which Egypt has received from international and regional mechanisms, and to follow up on progress. It also reviews human rights legislation and policies, and follows up on the implementation of national human rights strategies. The Standing Committee also provides technical support to various national authorities, with a particular view to creating specialized human rights units within ministries and in the governorates. It provides training in disseminating a culture of human rights and incorporating human rights into policies and programmes. It acts as a standing national framework for coordination between ministries and other national institutions, and it cooperates with various international and regional human rights mechanisms. The present report has been prepared in close cooperation with the National Council for Women, which enjoys legal personality and technical, financial and administrative independence, and answers directly to the President of the Republic. The Council has the lead role in designing and implementing national policy on women.

3.The present national periodic report is a result of cooperation among several ministries, national institutions and specialized national councils, including the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood, the National Council for Women and the National Council for Persons with Disabilities. It was produced in collaboration with the Information and Decision-Making Support Centre of the Cabinet, the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics, and the National Population Council. Consultations were also held with the National Council for Human Rights, in its capacity as the national human rights institution, and with civil society organizations concerned with women’s issues and human rights.

4.During the reporting period, the Standing Committee developed the National Human Rights Strategy (2021–2026), the first such strategy in Egypt, which was launched in September 2021. The vision behind the Strategy is to continue efforts to promote and protect human rights in accordance with the Constitution and the law, in line with the international obligations of Egypt. The Strategy has four main areas of focus: civil and political rights; economic, social and cultural rights; human rights of women, children, persons with disabilities, young persons and older persons; and human rights education and capacity-building. It is intended to achieve progress in balanced tracks, namely legislation, institutional development, and education and capacity-building.

5.The Strategy is rooted in fundamental norms that have been enshrined in the Constitution, upheld in rulings of high-level courts and enunciated in international and regional human rights treaties. Those norms include that of non-discrimination and of guaranteeing human rights within a framework of equality, equal opportunities and respect for the principle of citizenship.

6.The launch of the National Human Rights Strategy was attended by the President of the Republic, reflecting the importance that the Government attaches to its commitment to implement the objectives of the Strategy, which was prepared through a consultative process that included ministries, government agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Meetings were held with civil society representatives, and use was made of international experiences and best practices from countries around the world. Four reports on the implementation of the Strategy have already been issued.

Legislative developments related to the implementation of the Convention during the reporting period

–Act No. 189 (2020) amending certain provisions of the Penal Code to penalize bullying offences

–Act No. 151 (2020) on the protection of personal data

–Decision of the Prime Minister (2021) establishing the one-stop shop for the protection of women victims of violence

–Act No. 10 (2021) amending certain provisions of the Penal Code to introduce harsher penalties for practitioners of female genital mutilation

–Act No. 141 (2021) amending certain provisions of the Penal Code to address the issue of sexual harassment

–Act No. 22 (2022) amending certain provisions of Act No. 82 (2016) on illegal migration and smuggling of migrants

–Act No. 165 (2022) amending certain provisions of the Civil Status Code (Act No. 143 (1994)), to reduce from 16 to 15 the age at which persons can legally apply for an identity card

–Act No. 14 (2022) amending certain provisions of Act No. 396 (1956) on prisons

–Act No. 28 (2023) amending certain provisions of Act No. 26 (1975) on granting Egyptian nationality to the children of Egyptian mothers

–Act No. 161 (2023) allocating 1 billion Egyptian pounds to support the Fund for the Differently Abled, whose purpose is to support persons with disabilities

–Act No. 182 (2023) reorganizing the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood; amendments to the Act have elevated the legal status of the Council and expanded its mandate as an independent constitutional institution

–Act No. 185 (2023) amending certain provisions of the Penal Code, in particular articles 306 bis (1) and 306 bis (2), to increase the penalties for exposure and harassment

–Act No. 186 (2023) amending certain provisions of the Children’s Act by increasing the penalty for failing to register a birth

–Act No. 171 (2023) establishing the National Alliance for Civil Development Work

–Act No. 1 (2024) amending certain provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure (Act No. 150 (1950)) allowing appeals against verdicts handed down by criminal courts.

–Act No. 19 (2024) on the rights of older persons

–Act No. 164 (2024) on asylum for foreigners

–Act No. 14 (2025) promulgating the Labour Code

–Act No. 14 (2025) promulgating the Code of Criminal Procedure.

Policies and measures to strengthen the protection of human rights and implement the Convention

7.The Government of Egypt has launched a national project entitled “Decent life” to develop villages in rural areas. Implementation began on 1 July 2021. The project consists of three phases covering 4,500 villages and 28,000 hamlets in 175 districts in 20 governorates across the country. In all, around 58 per cent of the national population is benefiting from the project, which is aimed at improving quality of life and service delivery. The process entails a body of interconnected actions, including the provision of infrastructure for drinking water, sanitation and housing; an increase in the number of schools and health centres; and the development of ways to boost income and provide decent standards of living in rural communities. The project also contributes to the outcomes of the National Human Rights Strategy. The first phase of the project, which is to be completed in 2024 and has been allocated a budget of 400 billion Egyptian pounds, covers 1,477 villages in 52 districts and provides services that will benefit around 19 million people. The second phase of the project, which is to begin in 2024/25, covers 1,667 villages at an estimated cost of around 700 billion Egyptian pounds. An online system for monitoring projects under the “Decent life” initiative has been integrated into a platform to accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals managed by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations.

8.During the period covered by the present report, a number of national strategies have been put in place and updated that are intended to incorporate overarching human rights principles and concepts into different areas. As of May 2024, the Information and Decision Support Centre of the Office of the Prime Minister had identified some 90 strategies for assessment, including the following, which have been approved and launched.

9.The Egypt Vision 2030 sustainable development strategy, which was updated at the end of 2023, places the human being at the centre of development and emphasizes the interconnectedness between the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development. The Egypt Vision incorporates several strategic indicators to monitor performance and progress towards each goal.

–The National Strategy for the Empowerment of Egyptian Women 2030;

–The National Gender Equality Plan (2023);

–The Third National Strategy on Combating and Preventing Trafficking in Persons (2022–2026);

–The National Alternative Care Strategy (2021–2030), which is aimed at providing family or foster care for the upbringing and protection of children, as an alternative to institutionalization. That approach is in line with the Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children adopted by the General Assembly in 2009.

–The National Strategy for Population and Development (2023–2030), which is aimed at striking a balance between population growth and development by promoting reproductive health, empowering women, investing in youth, increasing education opportunities and raising awareness about demographic issues, as well as achieving social and economic well-being for all citizens.

–The National Early Childhood Development Strategy (2024–2029) and the associated plan of action.

–The strategic plan of the Ministry of Education and Technical Education (2024–2029), which has been updated to ensure universal access to education, without discrimination, and to improve the quality of education.

Sustainable development and women

10.Women are essential to sustainable development. That point is underscored in the Egypt Vision 2030, which provides for the achievement of gender equality, the promotion of equal opportunities and the enhancement of women’s participation in the development process, thereby empowering women economically, socially and politically. Such action includes the elimination of all forms of discrimination and violence against women. In addition to promoting women’s rights to education, access to healthcare services, employment and political participation, the Ministry of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation has published a guide to gender-responsive sustainable development planning, the first of its kind. The guide was prepared with the participation of 12 ministries and the National Council for Women. It sets out 143 development actions and 146 indicators to assess their implementation.

Women and international indicators

–Egypt has moved up 28 places in the women, peace and security index produced by the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace, and Security. The index measures women’s economic and political empowerment, the fairness of laws, the absence of discrimination against women, and their security at the individual and societal levels. Egypt was ranked 110th in 2023, as compared to 138th in 2016.

–Egypt has moved up 22 places in the gender inequality index produced by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). It was ranked 109th in 2021, as compared to 131st in 2014.

–Egypt has moved up 49 places in the women’s political participation index of the World Economic Forum. It was ranked 85th in 2023, as compared to 134th in 2014.

–Egypt’s ranking in relation to the quota for women in parliament rose to 54.3 points in 2022, as compared to 1.6 points in 2014.

–Egypt has moved up 17.8 points in the financial inclusion index for women aged 15 and older produced by the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security. Its score was 27 per cent in 2021, as compared to 9.2 per cent in 2017.

–Egypt has moved up 50 points in the business environment index produced by the World Bank. It had a rating of 75 points in 2024, as compared to 25 points in 2014.

–Egypt has moved up 25 points in the Doing Business index produced by the World Bank. It rose from 75 points in 2014 to 100 points in 2024.

–Egypt has moved up six places in the World Economic Forum index measuring gender equality in educational attainment. It ranked 103rd in 2022, as compared to 109th in 2014.

–Egypt has moved up 14.7 points in the female education index maintained by the United Nations. Its score was 85.3 points in 2014 and 100 points in 2022.

–In 2024, Egypt continued to receive a perfect score of 100 per cent on the World Bank index measuring the effectiveness of laws related to women’s pensions.

–Egypt’s score in the Our World in Data index for women’s political freedoms rose to 0.43 points in 2023, as compared to 0.41 points in 2014. Egypt exceeded the global average in 2023.

The present report is divided into two sections. Section I covers legislative developments related to the implementation of the Convention, from article 1 to article 16, supported by data from the years following November 2022. Section II consists of replies and clarifications regarding the concluding observations made by the Committee following its consideration of Egypt’s 2021 report.

Article 1: Definition of discrimination

11.Successive Egyptian constitutions, including the constitution currently in force, have affirmed that all citizens are equal before the law and enjoy equal rights, freedoms and public duties, without discrimination. The Supreme Constitutional Court has defined discrimination as follows: “Any distinction, restriction, preference or exclusion that arbitrarily detracts from the rights and freedoms guaranteed in the Constitution and the law, whether by denial, suspension or the diminishment of their effects in such a manner as to prevents persons legally entitled to such rights and freedoms from exercising them on a basis of full equality, particularly in political, economic, social, cultural and other aspects of public life”. That definition encompasses various forms of discrimination and is aimed at preventing and eliminating discrimination in all areas in which rights and freedoms are exercised.

12.The Government’s legislative and executive plans to combat discrimination are based on a broad definition. Discrimination is considered to consist of any distinction, restriction, preference or exclusion that arbitrarily detracts from the rights and freedoms guaranteed in the Constitution and the law, whether by denying or suspending them, or by diminishing their effect in a manner that prevents persons legally entitled to such rights and freedoms from exercising them on a basis of full equality, particularly in political, economic, social, cultural and other aspects of public life.

Article 2: Political measures

13.The legislative framework includes a prohibition on discrimination on all possible grounds. That framework includes the Civil Service Act and the Penal Code, which provides penalties against any person who performs or refrains from performing an act that would result in discrimination between individuals or against a group on the basis of gender, origin, language, religion or belief. Examples of recent legislation prohibiting discrimination include the Labour Code. Article 5 of the Code prohibits any actions, behaviour or measures that would cause discrimination or distinction between persons with regard to training, the advertising of posts, employment, the terms or conditions of employment or the rights and duties stipulated in a contract of employment, when such discrimination or distinction is on grounds of religion, belief, gender, origin, race, colour, language, disability, social status, political or trade union or geographic affiliation, or any other reason that would violate the principle of equality and equal opportunities. Any advantage, preference, benefit or protection established under the Code and its implementing decision and regulations that favours women, children, persons with disabilities or persons with dwarfism is not considered prohibited discrimination. The Code defines bullying as any act or behaviour in the workplace or during the course of work, whether by words, displays of power or control over others, exploitation of others’ weakness or of a situation, where the perpetrator believes that such act or behaviour is be harmful to others, such as their gender, race, religion or physical characteristics (see article 1, paragraph 32).

14.The criminalization of discrimination is not limited to public life; it includes activities that might be affected by acts that constitute racial discrimination. Act No. 71 (2017) on sports provides a term of imprisonment of not less than one year and/or a fine of between 1,000 and 3,000 Egyptian pounds for any person who, during the course of sporting activities, insults, slanders or demeans a natural or legal person using words, shouts or gestures, or who incites hatred or racial discrimination using any means of public expression. Act No. 10 (2018) prohibits discrimination on the grounds of disability, of a given type of disability, or of the gender of the person with a disability. The Act upholds effective equality in the enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms in all areas, and it obligates the Government to remove all obstacles that prevent persons with disabilities from enjoying their rights. It also prohibits any discrimination or denial of privileges on the grounds of disability in appointments, promotions or pay and benefits on grounds of disability. Under the Act, persons with disabilities are considered to be at risk if, among other specified situations, they are discriminated against on the basis of disability. Criminal penalties are set out for those responsible. In addition to custodial penalties, Egyptian laws provide for the payment of appropriate financial compensation to victims of racial discrimination or hatred.

15.Among other examples of judicial practice, the Court has ruled that a law granting special preference in hiring to the children of employees of the entity governed by that law is unconstitutional. In its reasoning, the court stated that the contested provision contained arbitrary discrimination not based on objective grounds, since belonging to a family is not an exceptional merit that entitles a person to preferential treatment in public employment, which should be based solely on competence, without favouritism (Case No. 89 of Judicial Year 42, Constitutional Court, hearing of 4 June 2022).

16.In another recent example of government practice, the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research stepped in to expedite the finalization of procedures for the appointment of a university graduate as a teaching assistant on an equal footing with his colleagues who had already begun work. The student in question had impaired vision owing to albinism.

Article 3: Human rights and fundamental freedoms

17.The National Strategy for the Empowerment of Egyptian Women 2030 is the overarching framework for efforts to advance women. The strategy incorporates 34 indicators from the Sustainable Development Goals and is structured around four main components. The first component addresses political empowerment and decision-making positions, strengthening women’s leadership roles, encouraging their political participation, preventing discrimination against women in assuming leadership positions in executive and judicial institutions and creating an environment conducive to women’s success in those roles. The second component is focused on economic empowerment, with the aim of developing women’s capabilities to expand their employment options and increase their participation in the workforce, as well as achieving equal opportunities for women’s employment across all sectors and their appointment to key positions in public bodies and private companies.

18.The Government has adopted a series of legislative, executive and institutional measures to ensure the development and advancement of women in various areas with a view to ensuring that they can exercise and enjoy human rights and fundamental freedoms on an equal footing with men. Constitutional amendments were introduced in 2019 to uphold gender equality and ensure that women are adequately represented in legislative bodies, with a minimum of 25 per cent of seats in the House of Representatives.

Article 4: Special measures

19.The Government has taken several special measures to promote effective gender equality pursuant to articles 11, 243 and 244 of the Constitution. A women’s quota system has been introduced in elected bodies. As a result, women secured an unprecedented 28 per cent of seats in the 2020 House of Representatives. At least 10 per cent of seats in the Senate have been allocated to women, who now hold some 14 per cent of seats.

20.The Constitution guarantees that women are empowered to balance family responsibilities with work requirements. It obligates the Government to provide care and protection for mothers, children, women heads of household, older women, and women in acute need, and to guarantee full legal protection against any discriminatory practices. The State has launched a programme entitled “The first 1,000 days of a child’s life”, which is aimed at young mothers, pregnant women and nursing mothers with up to two children. Additional points are awarded for food subsidies, provided that the children receive healthcare and vaccinations. In addition to receiving reproductive healthcare, mothers are supported during pregnancy. Women working in the private sector receive compensation equivalent to 75 per cent of their salary for 90 days, covered from social insurance funds.

21.The Government continues to support women and promote their active role in society in accordance with its commitment to achieving equality and empowering women across areas. A total of some 300 billion Egyptian pounds have been invested in women over the past five years.

22.The Ministry of Social Solidarity has launched a number of support initiatives, including the “Affection, education, involvement” programme, which has organized mother and child camps to empower 1,000 women leaders and conducted a comprehensive national census of daycare centres to support working women, as well as the “Our homes” exhibition, which was intended to empower rural women economically through the sustainable promotion of their products.

23.In 2021, in cooperation with the National Council for Women, the World Economic Forum and the private sector, the Ministry of International Cooperation launched a plan of action entitled “Business accelerator – bridging the gender gap” with a view to eliminating gender inequality. In 2022, in cooperation with the International Labour Organization, the Ministry of Labour adopted a national plan to promote gender equality in the workplace, which is aimed at achieving six goals, including creating a broader environment conducive to gender equality in the workplace; increasing ways for women to participate in the workforce and in leadership positions; creating a safe environment free from violence or discrimination; developing a modern knowledge infrastructure in the workplace; strengthening societal awareness of issues related to gender equality in the workplace; creasing sustainable institutional frameworks for the national plan; and integrating all relevant entities.

Article 5: Stereotypes

24.The Government has strengthened the legislative framework to combat harmful practices and stereotypes against women and girls. It has introduced amendments intensifying the criminal penalties for female genital mutilation. Under Act No. 10 (2021), amending articles 242 bis and 242 bis (a) of the Penal Code, the penalties have been increased to those for criminal offences, and criminal liability has been intensified for anyone who instigates or conceals such acts and for any medical facilities involved.

25.The National Committee for the Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation has launched a national plan to eliminate female genital mutilation (2022–2026), which is co-chaired by the National Council for Women and the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood. The plan includes specific priorities that will enable stakeholders to make progress, such as eliminating the medicalization of female genital mutilation, changing Egyptians’ attitudes towards female genital mutilation, providing care and support services for survivors, ensuring that data is available for monitoring and evaluation, and developing the institutional framework of the National Committee. The strategy includes outreach campaigns that have resulted in more than 35 million contacts and 44 million door knocks from 2016 to 2023. The campaigns have addressed misconceptions and promoted women’s participation in all areas of life. The areas addressed have included violence against women, decision-making, women in the labour market and economic empowerment. For that purpose, door-knocking campaigns have been organized in every village and every home in Egypt.

26.In 2021, the National Council for Women launched the Noura programme for girls in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund as part of the National Initiative for the Empowerment of Girls. It includes educational and recreational programmes, as well as educational sessions for the girls’ families. The Nour programme for boys was then launched, reflecting a comprehensive approach to investing in young people to build an equitable society. In cooperation with the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women), the Council has launched a campaign entitled “Because I am a man”. The campaign is aimed at men and boys and highlights their responsibility to support equality and combat domestic violence.

27.The Government has succeeded in significantly reducing the incidence of that crime. According to the 2021 survey of Egyptian family health, the prevalence of female genital mutilation had dropped to 14 per cent in 2021, as compared to 21 per cent in 2014. The proportion of girls expected to undergo female genital mutilation had dropped to 27 per cent, as compared to 56 per cent in 2014. The Government aims to completely eradicate that crime, and the penalties established by law have been tripled. The most recent amendment to the law includes stricter penalties if the act results in permanent disability, in addition to separate penalties. For the first time in Egypt’s history, penalties are also provided for doctors, nurses, medical facilities and any person who promotes, encourages or advocates for the crime of female genital mutilation.

28.The National Media Authority works to highlight discussions on issues and challenges related to families and women, to educate women about their political, social and economic rights, and to encourage them to increase their participation in society. It does so through all forms of visual and audio media, including: 15 radio programmes; 18 specialized television programmes, which are aimed at outreach to women and highlighting the role of women in development and economic and social reform; and regional channels, which are broadcast in the governorates and are readily accessible to all segments of society.

29.The Azhar al-Sharif has adopted a comprehensive action plan to eliminate discriminatory stereotypes regarding the roles and responsibilities of women and men in the family and in society. The plan includes outreach and education aimed at the general public, the media and rural and remote communities, with the active participation of women’s civil society organizations and religious leaders. In June 2021, a cooperation protocol was signed between the Azhar and the National Council for Women to strengthen joint efforts to correct religious misconceptions, raise awareness, educate society, preserve the Egyptian family and promote and protect women’s rights and freedoms.

Article 6: Trafficking in and exploiting women

30.Egypt is committed to pursuing a comprehensive policy to address the crime of human trafficking, based on the four components identified by the United Nations, namely, prevention, protection, prosecution and international cooperation. The National Coordinating Committee for Combating and Preventing Illegal Migration and Human Trafficking, which comprises 30 ministries and agencies, is committed to implementing the objectives outlined in the third National Strategy on Combating and Preventing Human Trafficking (2022–2026), which places a particular emphasis on the protection of victims by updating national referral mechanisms and strengthening the capacity of social protection providers, including hotline operators, rural women leaders, social workers, labour inspectors and law enforcement agencies.

31.A National Strategy on Preventing Irregular Migration (2016–2026) and associated action plans have been launched. The Government has bolstered the available financial resources by establishing two funds, one to combat illegal migration and protect migrants and witnesses, and the other to assist victims of human trafficking. National efforts in the area of law enforcement have also continued. In 2022, the Office of the Public Prosecutor initiated investigations into 116 human trafficking cases. Between April and October 2022, 47 verdicts were handed down. The forms human trafficking ranged from forced labour and begging to sexual exploitation and organ harvesting. The verdicts included 33 convictions related to forced labour and sexual exploitation.

32.By virtue of Presidential Decision No. 349 (2024), a fund was established to assist victims of human trafficking and protect witnesses. The Decision outlines the terms of reference of the fund, which include: providing financial assistance to victims; funding research, studies and training programmes; funding psychological, health, and social support programs for victims; funding the activities stipulated in the National Strategy on Combating and Preventing Human Trafficking; and developing programmes for the care, education, training and rehabilitation of victims.

33.In January 2025, together with the European Union and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the Government launched the Partnership to Counter Smuggling of Migrants and Trafficking in Persons in Egypt (PACSOM Egypt) to combat migrant smuggling and human trafficking. The project is intended to strengthen the capacities of law enforcement agencies, prosecutors and the judiciary, provide better protection for victims, develop data-driven policies, and enhance coordination among stakeholders.

34.Since 2020, the Government has been cooperating with the European Union with a view to strengthening its activities related to prevention, protection and law enforcement. In that context, the National Council for Women has conducted extensive outreach efforts on the dangers of child marriage. Such efforts included a door-knocking campaign aimed at families in villages; specialized programmes, such as Noura, to support girls aged 10-14 in education, health and awareness of rights, and the Dawwie programme, which encourages girls to express themselves and reject harmful practices. The Council has also launched a programme on balanced upbringing and family counselling to strengthen the role of the family in healthy parenting. The programme also includes family camps and cultural evenings to foster community dialogue on the protection of girls’ rights.

35.In partnership with the competent national councils, UNODC and the United Nations Children's Fund, the Ministry of Justice has organized several training sessions and panel discussions. In partnership with UNODC, 36 panel discussions have been organized for female judges in family and misdemeanour courts on facilitating access to justice for women victims of violence and strengthening capacities to support persons with disabilities, particularly women with disabilities, when they contact the justice system. In partnership with the National Council for Women, 31 panel discussions have been held for female and male judges in family and misdemeanour courts on combating violence against women, communication and leadership skills, and raising awareness of the crime of female genital mutilation. In partnership with the National Coordinating Committee and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), 26 panel discussions have been organized on combating human trafficking and preventing illegal migration. The basic training course for public prosecutors nominated for the judiciary includes instruction on handling cases involving children or violence against women.

36.As part of its efforts to address and combat temporary and seasonal (transactional) marriages, the National Coordinating Committee has launched several outreach campaigns under the slogan “Together against human trafficking”, to raise awareness of the forms which that crime can take, including transactional marriage, and the penalties prescribed by law for perpetrators. The campaigns are also intended to inform the public of the protection and assistance services provided by the Government to victims of that crime, and how to report incidents through the national hotline system. The National Coordinating Committee ensures that its media campaigns are translated into English during their preparation and implementation. During the period 2021-2025, 20,723 suspects were apprehended in 5,399 cases related to illegal migration and 1,600 suspects were apprehended in 236 cases related to human trafficking. From 2021–2023, verdicts were handed down in 72 human trafficking cases. Some 327 victims of human trafficking were provided with services during that period. In 2023, 151 victims received services including shelter. That number included 70 boys under the age of 18, 76 girls under the age of 18, and 5 adult women.

Participation in political and public life

37.The Constitution guarantees women’s right to participate in political and public life without any discrimination, including the right to vote and to run for and hold public office. The position of Egypt in global rankings related to the political participation of women has improved. Egypt has moved up 49 places in the women’s political participation index of the World Economic Forum. It was ranked 85th in 2023, as compared to 134th in 2014. Egypt has also moved up 47 places in the women’s political empowerment index in the Global Gender Gap Report, reaching its highest ranking in a decade, at 78th place in 2022, as compared to 125th in 2012. Egypt also moved up 65 places in the women in parliament index, at 63rd in 2022, as compared to 128th in 2012. In addition, Egypt moved up 29 places in the women in ministerial positions index, at 66th in 2022, as compared to 95th in 2012.

38.The National Council for Women has launched a number of outreach campaigns at the governorate level, such as “Egypt calls you again”, “Your vote for tomorrow’s Egypt” and “My country is mine to look after”, which have reached more than 20 million beneficiaries through direct communication channels to promote women’s participation in the electoral process. In the area of women’s leadership development, the National Council for Women partnered with the Ministry of Planning, in collaboration with the International Training Centre in Turin, Italy, and with support from the European Union, to launch a national programme for women in leadership, which is intended to equip women leaders with skills in leadership, decision-making and results-driven management. The National Training Academy has established the a “women in leadership school” to prepare young women professionals to participate effectively in decision-making roles. A training manual on career guidance has been developed to enhance the skills of women in junior positions so they can advance to senior leadership roles.

39.Elections for the House of Representatives and the Senate were held in October 2020. These were the first elections since the 2019 constitutional amendment that created a second legislative chamber of parliament, the Senate. Women have secured 165 of the total number of seats in the House of Representatives, or 27.7 per cent, and 15 seats on specialized House committees. That unprecedented proportion is the highest in Egypt’s history. Under the Senate Act, no fewer than 10 per cent of Senate seats are allocated to women; however, the President has appointed 20 women to the Senate, increasing women's representation in that body to 14 per cent. Presidential elections were held in December 2023, with four candidates. Voter turnout was 66.8 per cent, and women accounted for 60 per cent of the electorate. For the first time in Egypt’s history, two women have been appointed as governors. For the first time, women have been appointed to the following roles: head of an economic court; Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Egypt; and Chair the National Council for Human Rights. A woman is now head of the World Youth Forum and Deputy Speaker of the Senate.

40.Women were effectively represented in the most recent government reshuffle, in July 2024. They hold 18 positions as ministers, deputy ministers, governors and deputy governors, in addition to chairing all the national human rights councils, namely, the National Council for Women, the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood and the National Council for Persons with Disabilities.

41.Women have been appointed to the Office of the Public Prosecutor and the State Council in accordance with the constitutional principles of equality and non-discrimination. As at October 2021, 98 women had been appointed to the State Council and 11 to the Office of the Public Prosecutor. In January 2022, the bodies announced for the first time that applications were being accepted from female graduates of the class of 2021 for the positions of assistant counsel and deputy prosecutor respectively. In August 2025, 219 assistant counsels were appointed from the class of 2021; for the first time since the Council’s establishment more than 80 years ago, they included women. That step marks the start of a new era in the history of the Egyptian judiciary.

42.For the first time, the President has issued two decisions appointing 137 women magistrates to the State Council from the State Litigation Authority and the Administrative Prosecution Authority. Also for the first time, the Supreme Judicial Council has issued a decision transferring 17 women magistrates from the ordinary courts to the Office of the Public Prosecutor. In addition, 73 women members of the Administrative Prosecution Authority and the State Litigation Authority have been appointed to the ordinary courts and 34 to the courts of first instance. The latter number comprises 32 magistrates on the bench and 2 head prosecutors under category B of the Office of the Public Prosecutor. For the first time, women have been appointed to the positions of criminal court judge, and Deputy Head Judge of the Supreme Constitutional Court.

43.There are now 187 women magistrates in the ordinary courts, of whom 130 serve in courts of all levels and 17 are seconded to the Office of the Public Prosecutor. A total of 20 women magistrates are seconded to the Public Prosecution. The Presidential Decision of 2025 appointing deputy prosecutors from the class of 2021 brought the number of women members of the Office of the Public Prosecutor to 176. A total of 1,289 women work at the State Litigation Authority. A total of 3,410 women work at the Administrative Prosecution Authority, and more than one woman has served as its head. Women counsellors at the Authority hold several leadership positions. Women hold 40 per cent of leadership positions in the Secretariat of the Ministry of Justice, 70 per cent of leadership positions in the Office of Expert Services, 50 per cent in the Office of Forensic Medicine, and 25 per cent in the Office of Real Estate Registration and Notarization. There are 102 women notaries, and women account for 49 per cent of court clerks.

44.Women are represented on university councils and participate in decision-making positions at universities. They are represented as follows: 125 deans, 1 deputy president for academic and student affairs, 1 assistant secretary of the Supreme Council of Universities, 3 chairs of sector-specific committees, 2 university presidents, 7 secretaries of sector-specific committees, 7 vice-presidents for community service and environmental development, and 4 vice-presidents for graduate studies and research.

45.As to government employment, women accounted for 51 per cent of the total workforce in the governmental administrative apparatus in 2023. Some 83.8 per cent of female staff held permanent positions in 2024, as compared to 61.4 per cent of men. Those figures indicate that women enjoy greater job security in the public sector than in the private sector, which continues to face challenges in recruiting female staff women. It is therefore important to continue strengthening policies that support women’s economic empowerment, both by boosting employment opportunities and by improving the quality of those jobs, in order to ensure gender equality across sectors.

Article 8: Representation at the international level

46.The Government is committed to ensuring that women participate on an equal footing with men in public life and international representation. In the period 2020-2025, significant progress has been made in that area. Women accounted for 62 per cent of the most recent class of diplomatic attachés at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reflecting tangible progress in the integration of women into the diplomatic corps. Women now make up more than 27 per cent of the Ministry’s staff and are increasingly present in leadership positions, such as ambassadors and permanent representatives to international and regional organizations. That situation reflects their growing role in shaping foreign policy and engaging with multilateral issues.

47.At the United Nations level, Egypt was elected in June 2022 to serve on the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women for the term 2023–2026. Since February 2020, an Egyptian woman has served as Executive Director of UNODC and Director-General of the United Nations Office at Vienna, with the rank of the Under-Secretary-General. An Egyptian woman has been appointed Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, marking the culmination of the Government’s efforts to promote women’s participation and highlight national talent in international forums.

48.Egyptian women have played prominent roles as heads of official Government delegations at several major international forums, including the twenty-seventh session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which Egypt hosted in Sharm el-Sheikh in 2022. That situation reflects the Government’s confidence in women leaders and their ability to represent Egypt on priority global issues. Women have increasingly participated in leading official Government delegations in major international forums, including the twenty-seventh session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, reflecting the Government's confidence in female professionals and their ability to represent Egypt on priority global issues. Egyptian women also hold senior positions in United Nations agencies and international organizations, reflecting the growing international recognition of the capabilities of Egyptian women and their influential role on the global stage.

49.Egypt has made tangible progress in increasing women’s participation in United Nations peacekeeping missions. A total of 102 Egyptian women are currently serving, making Egypt the 13th largest contributor of women peacekeepers in the world. That position reflects the high professional standards of Egyptian women in terms of competence, discipline and the ability to carry out their duties in a range of international environments. It also embodies the international community’s confidence in the capabilities of Egyptian women and underscores the Government’s continued commitment to supporting peacekeeping efforts and expanding women’s participation in international work.

Article 9: Nationality

50.Egyptian nationality is designated in the Constitution as a legal and political bond between citizen and State, the core of which is that citizens’ affiliation to the State arises, which stems directly from the Constitution and the law, if the requisite legal conditions are met. Neither the citizen nor the competent authorities can intervene in any way in the acquisition or retention of citizenship. Under the Constitution, any person born to an Egyptian father or an Egyptian mother is entitled to Egyptian nationality. The Constitution stipulates, in article 6, that legal recognition and official identity documents are rights that are guaranteed and regulated by law.

51.All procedures related to birth registration and the issuance of personal identity cards are comprehensively set forth in the Civil Status Code. An amendment was introduced to article 2 of Act No. 154 (2004) on nationality, as a result of which, in 2007, Egypt was able to withdraw its reservation to article 9, paragraph 2 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. By virtue of the amendment, Egyptian nationality can be conferred upon anyone born to an Egyptian father or to an Egyptian mother, and to children born in Egypt to unknown parents. A foundling is considered to have been born in Egypt unless there is evidence to the contrary. Persons holding a foreign nationality in addition to Egyptian nationality have the right to declare to the Minister of the Interior their desire to renounce their Egyptian nationality. For minors, such a declaration can be made by their legal representative or their mother or, in the absence of either, by their guardian. Minors who have lost their Egyptian nationality in this way may declare their desire to regain it within one year of attaining their majority. Act No. 28 (2023) amended certain provisions of Act No. 26 (1975) on Egyptian nationality concerning the granting of nationality to the children of an Egyptian mother to make them more equitable between men and women. Nationality has been granted to 10,957 children of Egyptian mothers.

Article 10: Education

52.The Government is committed to ensuring gender equality in education by taking all necessary measures to promote equal opportunities for girls and boys, and to guarantee access to education at all levels and in all forms, including general, technical, vocational and higher education, and all forms of vocational training. The Government is also working to: eliminate gender stereotypes; provide equal access to curricula, exams, school buildings and equipment; uphold equal opportunities in educational grants, continuing education programs and adult education; reduce dropout rates among female students; organize programmes to support women and girls who have left school prematurely; ensure that female students participating in sports and physical education activities; and provide the educational and health information, including information about family planning, that is necessary for family health and well-being.

53.A strategic plan for the development of pre-university education 2014–2030 has been rolled out, and a national education project was launched in 2018. The strategic plan includes a body of public policies aimed, in particular, at providing the entire school-age population with equal enrolment opportunities, with a particular focus on poor areas, and at improving the quality of education by using modern curricula that are in line with global standards, taught by well-qualified teachers capable of following the latest educational methods. The strategic plan also seeks to strengthen institutional structures using decentralization as a way of ensuring good governance. The plan includes a raft of programmes and subprogrammes including, most importantly, an information technology programme, a school meals programme and a comprehensive curriculum reform programme.

54.In the period 2020–2025, tangible progress was made in the areas of education and gender equality. Data from the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics shows a significant decline in illiteracy rates. Among individuals aged 10 and over, illiteracy rates fell from 26 per cent among in 2016 to 21 per cent in 2023 for women, and from 14.4 per cent to 11.4 per cent for men. Those figures show that the education gap has gradually narrowed. Some 11.5 million girls were enrolled in primary and secondary school, as compared to 11.8 million boys, indicating a significant convergence in access to pre-university education. The proportion of students in higher education who were female rose from 45.4 per cent in the 2013–2014 academic year to 49.8 per cent in 2023/24. The proportion of graduate students who were female rose to 58 per cent in the 2023/24 academic year, as compared to 47.9 per cent in the 2013/14 academic year. School dropout data points to an improvement in educational retention; the dropout rate among girls was 0.2 per cent in primary school and 1.9 per cent in lower secondary school, as compared to 0.3 per cent and 1.6 per cent respectively for boys.

55.More than 70 per cent the technical education curricula were developed using a competency-based approach from the first through the third year of secondary school, in line with the requirements of the local and international job markets, with a focus on developing students’ technological and creative skills. More than 4,000 students across the country have been trained at technology development centres. Five students have been selected to represent Egypt for the first time in an international competition featuring more than 160 students from around the world. The “She for a digital future” programme has been implemented in collaboration with the National Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development. Its purpose is to enable 450 women leaders the Ministry to develop digital skills, financial inclusion and knowledge of the Sustainable Development Goals, gender equality and information and communications technology security.

56.In the field of science and technology, the Ministry of Education has expanded its programme to establish science, technology, engineering, and mathematics schools for gifted students in 45 schools in various governorates. Plans are in place to establish additional schools in each governorate to meet the country’s need for outstanding scientific and technological talent. A project to establish community schools in areas most in need has been expanded with the creation of 200 new schools, bringing the total number of new schools to 4,943, attended by 139,772 pupils of both sexes. In addition, five schools have been opened specializing in applied technology in the following industries: food, pharmaceuticals, woodworking and furniture, building materials and mechanical and electrical engineering.

57.In November 2023, a training course entitled “Gender statistics” was organized for women heads of equal opportunity departments and teachers and staff in educational departments in several governorates. The course benefited 3,500 participants and received a certificate from the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia. Its purpose was to enhance participants’ capacity to monitor development indicators and track progress in women’s empowerment. Gender discussion clubs have been established to promote dialogue among students on sustainable development, violence and equality, and 270 leaders of equal opportunity units and social education counsellors have been trained to promote the understanding of gender equality and the prevention of violence.

58.Components related to gender equality and equal opportunities in education have been incorporated into the curricula for Arabic language, social studies, science and geology courses. By virtue of Ministerial Decision No. 99 (2024), the roles of the equal opportunity and human rights units have been strengthened. The Government has focused on promoting the values of citizenship, belonging and human rights through both in-class and extracurricular activities. It has endeavoured to develop students’ competences for dialogue and diversity in coexistence, foster intellectual openness and a sense of national belonging, and protect students from extremism and violence.

Public spending on education and numbers of schools

59.Spending on pre-university education increased from 208.2 billion Egyptian pounds in the year 2017/18 to 565 billion Egyptian pounds in the budget for the financial year 2024/25. The number of schools increased from 49,400 in 2013/14 to 61,300 in 2023/24; pre-university education classes went up from 466,600 in 2013/14 to 556,888 in 2023/24; and the number of students increased from 18.6 million in 2013/14 to 28 million in 2022/23. Dropout rates decreased among female students in primary school, from 0.45 per cent in 2013/14 to 0.19 per cent in 2023/24. The proportion of university students who were female increased from 45.4 per cent in 2013/14 to 54.8 per cent in 2023/24.

Article 10: Work

60.The Constitution guarantees equal opportunities for all without discrimination and stipulates that the State shall ensure equality between women and men in all rights. It requires the state to link pay to productivity, which means that pay is tied to an employee’s performance, without discrimination. Numerous policies and programmes exist are in place to promote women’s economic empowerment and labour market integration. The new Labour Code guarantees equal pay for work of equal value to all male and female workers, including all forms and components of remuneration, such as cash or in-kind benefits, bonuses, incentives and allowances. After consulting with the National Council for Women and the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood, the competent minister is to issue a decision regarding personal status matters or jobs in which women may not be employed, with a view to providing the necessary time to safeguard maternity or to address occupational safety and health risks.

61.A national plan to promote gender equality in the workplace was launched in 2022. The unemployment rate among women fell from 17.8 per cent in 2021 to 15.8 per cent in 2025. The Government has sought to create employment opportunities tailored to women through productive projects and small-scale enterprises designed specifically for women. A total of 48.3 billion Egyptian pounds has been made available to finance 192,716 small businesses, creating 481,347 jobs, as well as 1,713,513 micro-businesses for women, creating 2,530,452 jobs.

62.The Government has launched a programme to boost women’s employment in the local labour market. The programme is intended, over a three-year period, to maximize the utilization of the underutilized female workforce, prepare women for the labour market, close gender pay gaps across and within sectors, and support the presence of more women in managerial and leadership positions. The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency has allocated a financing portfolio of up to 5,400,000,000 Egyptian pounds to fund micro-enterprises run by women, particularly in border governorates and Upper Egypt. Women accounted for 40 per cent of the 1.5 million beneficiaries of the informal employment grant. In 2020, Egypt joined the Equal Pay International Coalition, whose purpose is to achieve equal pay for women and men. In cooperation with the World Economic Forum, the Ministry of International Cooperation and the National Council for Women have launched a programme entitled “Gender gap accelerator in Egypt”, making Egypt the first country in Africa and the Middle East region to do so.

63.As part of its efforts to promote equal opportunities and gender equality, the Ministry of Finance launched a procedural guide to gender-responsive and gender-equality-responsive programme budgets, which was prepared in collaboration with the National Council for Women and UN-Women. The Council has conducted a train-the-trainers programme about the guide, women’s empowerment, and equal opportunities in programmes and the strategic planning process. The training was aimed at 37 male and female staff members at the Institute of National Planning under the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development. Its purpose was to equip them with practical knowledge and tools to mainstream, apply a gender equality perspective and empower women in the Institute’s strategic planning.

64.The Government is also running a number of other projects, including one to enhance employment opportunities for women in agro-industry, for 19,500 direct and indirect women beneficiaries. Another initiative is the Strengthening Women Entrepreneurs in Egypt (SWEET) project, which is intended to build the capacity of women entrepreneurs and of female workers in the handmade carpet industry. Digital savings programmes are in place to advance the economic and financial inclusion of women. The programmes, which have reached 1.2 million women over three years, helped to increase the number of women with bank accounts to 20.3 million in December 2023.

65.In 2021, the Prime Minister issued the implementing regulations for Act No. 152 (2020) on the development of small, medium and micro-enterprises, which provides for non-tax incentives for programmes and projects that prioritize certain issues, including women’s economic empowerment, and the allocation of up to 40 per cent of government procurement to small, medium, and micro-enterprises. In April 2021, the Ministry of Labour issued decisions amending the rules governing the employment of women at night and specifying the types of work in which they may not be employed. Those decisions allow the employment of women during night shifts at their request, provided that the employer commits to providing daytime work as an alternative to night work for working women during the periods before and after they give birth.

66.The decision specifying the types of work in which women may not be employed has been amended to include: work underground in mines and quarries and the extraction of minerals and stones from the ground, with the exception of women in administrative positions; healthcare and nursing services; traineeships in underground mine segments; and other work that involves descending into underground mine segments for a period of time to perform non-manual work.

Promotions

67.The Civil Service Act (No. 81 (2016)) sets out general rules that regulate the promotion of workers, without discrimination, within the administrative structure of the State. Under those rules, all workers are promoted from the lowest grade to the first grade on the exclusive criterion of seniority; i.e., on the basis of the date they occupied the post. In contrast, leadership positions and supervisory roles are allocated on the basis of competence. In accordance with the general rules regulating the Egyptian legal system, any worker has the right to challenge a promotion decision before the courts, if that decision violates the principle of equality and equal opportunities in promotion to higher job grades.

Equal pay

68.A National Wage Council has been established. It is responsible for setting the national minimum wage, taking due account of the cost of living, while also finding ways to strike a balance between wages and prices. The minimum wage is set and amended in the context of the Government’s commitment to protect workers’ interests, preserve their acquired rights, enable them to have a decent life in the light of economic developments at home and abroad, and balance the interests of the two parties in the production process, namely, employers and workers. The minimum wage has been raised several times in the public and private sectors. In the public sector, it was raised from 1,200 Egyptian pounds in March 2019, to 3,500 Egyptian pounds in March 2023, 4,000 Egyptian pounds in September 2023 and 6,000 Egyptian pounds in March 2024. The minimum wage for private sector workers, which stood at 2,400 Egyptian pounds in January 2022, was raised to 2,700 Egyptian pounds in January 2023, 3,000 pounds in July 2023, 3,500 Egyptian pounds in January 2024 and 7,000 Egyptian pounds in January 2025.

Right to social security

69.According to the Constitution, the State is to guarantee the provision of social insurance services, while citizens who are not covered by the social insurance system have the right to social security, in order to ensure a decent life, if they are unable to support themselves and their families and in cases of incapacity, old age or unemployment. The Act No. 148 (2019) on social insurance and pensions serves to develop and update social insurance systems; to ensure that they keep pace with global changes and comply with relevant international and regional agreements; and to harmonize the benefits that such systems provide across all groups in society in order to uphold the principle of equity and equality of opportunity. The Act also addresses the disparity between pensions and incomes, and it guarantees pensions in cases of old age, disability, injury and death, as well as insurance for sickness and unemployment. In addition, the Act discriminates positively in favour of certain vulnerable groups, such as persons with disabilities, apprentices and informal workers of all kinds. Incentives are provided for to encourage insurance, such as having the employer’s quota paid out of public funds and a mechanism whereby pensions are increased in line with the rate of inflation, up to a maximum increase of 15 per cent, with the costs to be borne by the social insurance system.

Occupational safety and health

70.Act No. 185 (2023) and Act No. 50 (2014) – which amend certain provisions of the Penal Code – are intended to ensure a working environment free from sexual harassment. They provide for increased penalties for such harassment if the perpetrator has functional authority over the victim or takes advantage of existing circumstances to apply pressure against the victim. The Act also expands the concept of the crime of harassment to include actions, suggestions or insinuations of a sexual or pornographic nature – whether by gesture word or any other means, including communications media. The Labour Act prohibits harassment in all its forms—verbal, physical and psychological—and requires employers to take measures to protect their employees. Harassment is considered a serious violation that warrants dismissal on disciplinary grounds. Under the Act, employers are required to establish internal policies prohibiting harassment and to take measures to protect employees and ensure that complaints are kept confidential. An employee has the right to file an urgent complaint with the Occupational Safety and Health Committee or the Labour Office. The inspection authorities have been granted the power to investigate complaints. Employers who fail to take the necessary measures or who violate the Act may be subject to a fine ranging from 5,000 to 50,000 Egyptian pounds. The fine increases in proportion to the number of workers affected by the violation.

Leisure time and holidays

71.Working mothers have certain benefits under the Civil Service Act, such as four months of childbirth leave and four months of paid maternity leave. The employee is entitled to unpaid leave to care for her child for up to two years on each occasion, with a maximum total of six years throughout her tenure in the civil service. Under the Children’s Act, working women who are foster mothers or nursing an infant under the age of six months are granted four months of paid childcare leave. The Act gives them the same right as birth mothers with regard to the length of breastfeeding breaks and childcare leave. Under the new Labour Act, a working mother is entitled to four months of paid childbirth leave, comprising the prenatal and postnatal periods, provided that the postnatal leave is not less than 45 days. Daily working hours for pregnant women are reduced by at least one hour starting from the sixth month of pregnancy. Pregnant women must not be required to work overtime throughout their pregnancy and for a period of six months following the date of delivery.

72.Many businesses and enterprises have workplace nurseries to make it easier for mothers to care for their children at work. The Ministry of Social Solidarity has established a domestic helpers’ service association to retain female domestic workers, and it has set up service centres for working women, which seek to ease the burdens such women have to bear and to provide them with the services they require for an appropriate fee. There are 39 such centres in 22 governorates.

Article 12: Right to health

73.The healthcare component of the Egypt Vision 2030 strategy is aimed at ensuring that all Egyptians are able to enjoy their right to a safe and healthy life, thanks to an integrated health system that is accessible, high quality and non-discriminatory. The right to health is also reflected in the State budget, which provides for increased allocations for public spending on health. Those allocations went up to 617,962 billion Egyptian pounds in the financial year 2025/26. The budget allocation for health insurance for students, women heads of household, children, and universal health insurance amounts to 5.9 billion pounds.

74.A national health strategy for Egypt 2024–2030 has been launched. It is aimed at improving demographic characteristics, reaching an overall fertility rate of 2.1 children per woman and pursuing human development. Egypt has made considerable progress in its implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals related to the reduction of maternal and neonatal mortality rates, and in October 2024 the country received certification of malaria-free status from the World Health Organization (WHO). In October 2023, Egypt was recognized by WHO for having reached the gold tier on the path to eliminating hepatitis C, the first country to achieve that status. Egypt had diagnosed 87 per cent of people living with hepatitis C and has provided curative treatment to 93 per cent of those diagnosed.

75.In collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Population, the Ministry of Social Solidarity is implementing a “First 1,000 days” initiative for beneficiaries of the Takaful (“Solidarity”) and Karamah (“Dignity”) programmes to improve the nutrition of pregnant and nursing women, thereby addressing the potential negative effects on children’s cognitive and physical development caused by malnutrition during the first 1,000 days of life–effects that can be easily prevented. The programme provides a range of nutrient-rich foods to pregnant and breastfeeding women. In order to qualify for the conditional cash transfer programme, the pregnant woman or child under two years of age must visit a healthcare facility once a month so that the pregnancy or the growth of the child can be monitored and children under two years of age can receive the necessary vaccinations.

76.The Government has rolled out a raft of initiatives to promote the right to health as part of its “100 million health lives” initiative, the aim of which is to provide comprehensive healthcare for all citizens while ensuring ease of access to the services available. The scheme includes initiatives to eliminate hepatitis C; to detect non-communicable diseases; to ensure the early detection of anaemia, obesity and stunting; to support the health of Egyptian women, including early detection of breast cancer; to support maternal and fetal health; to detect and treat hearing loss in newborn infants; to detect and treat chronic diseases; and to ensure the early detection of kidney disease.

77.A maternal and fetal health support initiative is in place to promote early detection of hepatitis B, HIV and syphilis among pregnant women, and to reduce maternal mortality caused by those diseases. As part of the initiative, the health of the mother and newborn is monitored for 42 days after delivery in order to identify any risk factors for the mother or the newborn and take appropriate action, and the necessary micronutrients are provided during the postpartum period. Promoting and protecting breastfeeding and promoting the proper use of infant formula. Children aged 6 to 54 months are given vitamin A supplements.

78.The services available as part of the initiative are provided through healthcare centres and maternal and child health centres. They include a clinical examination to assess the general condition of the pregnant woman and the fetus and identify any risk factors associated with the pregnancy, as well as tetanus vaccination; measurement of height, weight and blood pressure; and various tests to detect anaemia or determine whether the mother needs an Anti-D injection after delivery. Some 3.2 million women have benefited from the initiative. Those services are also provided through more than 3,500 health facilities, 102 hospitals, and mobile units designed to reach remote areas. A database has been established to complement the survey. It is linked to the healthcare facilities participating in the initiative, in order to facilitate follow-up with beneficiaries and refer them to the nearest centre where they can receive appropriate treatment. Beneficiaries can check their check-up appointments in order to receive advanced screenings through the “100 million health lives” initiative website or via the “Egypt health” application.

79.As of April 2025, approximately 58.9 million women had benefited from an initiative to support women’s health and the early detection of breast cancer. The purpose of that initiative is to provide early detection services for breast tumours and raising awareness of the importance of regular breast examinations. As at April 2025, approximately 7 million women had benefited from the initiative, which is aimed at the early detection of cancerous tumours and the elimination of cervical cancer.

80.As part of efforts to promote reproductive health and the right to pregnancy and childbirth services, the Ministry of Health and Population has adopted updated guidelines to reduce unnecessary caesarean sections. Healthcare facilities are required to adhere to international medical standards and put in place a system for monthly monitoring and periodic reporting, with the aim of promoting natural childbirth and reducing health complications for mothers and newborns. In 2020, the maternal mortality rate fell to approximately 17 deaths per 100,000 live births. In 2023, it stabilized at 41.3 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2023. The total fertility rate fell from 2.85 children per woman in 2021 to 2.1 in 2023, and the rate of contraceptive use rose to 72 per cent, reflecting a marked improvement in reproductive health care.

Article 13: Economic and social life

81.As part of the Egyptian Government’s efforts to empower women economically and enhance their opportunities in the labour market, the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency has given particular attention to women-led projects, and has provided them with over 10.2 billion Egyptian pounds in funding. The Government has continued working to empower women as part of a comprehensive development vision that reflects its commitment to strengthening their role in society. A total portfolio of more than $4.5 billion in concessional development financing is directed toward projects that directly promote gender equality and women’s empowerment. Those funds support the implementation of some 117 development projects across various sectors and benefit some 27 million women and girls.

82.A financing agreement has been agreed with the French Development Agency exclusively for women’s projects. Some 667.2 million Egyptian pounds have been disbursed for 22,000 projects, 100 per cent of which were for women. As part of the “Decent life” presidential initiative, 136,000 small and micro-enterprises have been funded, including 62,600 projects led by women, or 46 of the total. The total funding amounts to 1.5 billion pounds. The numerous initiatives and projects aimed at women include the “Our future is in our hands” initiative, which has disbursed 30 million Egyptian pounds in funding to 3,400 projects, all of which were aimed at women; the Bab RezQ initiative, which provides funding to women over the age of 21 to establish micro-enterprises; and the Ta7wisha programme, whose purpose is to form 60,000 savings groups for 1.2 million women in 13 governorates. Some 20,000 of those groups have already been formed, comprising more than 402,000 women.

83.In the area of international cooperation, several joint programmes have been launched to strengthen the role of women in economic development. These include the Rabeha project, which is being conducted in partnership with the Government of Canada, UN-Women and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization and is aimed at 6,300 women entrepreneurs, and the She Trades Egypt project, which has supported 50 women entrepreneurs in the areas of export and digital marketing. The Opportunities for Women in Agribusiness Project, which is funded by Canada, is aimed at supporting agro-industry. It has 6,500 direct beneficiaries and 13,000 indirect beneficiaries in the governorates of Minya and Bani Suwayf. The SWEET project seeks to reach 8,000 women and girls by 2025 with a view to developing the handmade carpet industry. The “Egyptian women: future leaders” programme has helped to train 450 young women and connect them with job opportunities at major companies. The Ghalia initiative, which was launched in collaboration with the Bank of Alexandria, is aimed at training young women for careers in the automotive maintenance sector.

84.In partnership with several civil society organizations, the Ministry of Social Solidarity has launched a project for the development of rural women, which is aimed at supporting rural women in small, medium and micro-enterprises; 2,069 women have benefited from the project. In cooperation with several banks, National Council for Persons with Disabilities organizes numerous awareness-raising seminars on banking transactions and financial inclusion for persons with disabilities. These seminars have benefited 10,000 people with disabilities, including women and girls with disabilities.

85.A total of 2.3 billion Egyptian pounds have been allocated to finance small and micro-enterprises run by women. Loans have been provided to 99.2 small and micro-enterprises, a number that accounts for 45 per cent of the total number of projects, and 145.3 jobs have been created. In the area of non-financial services, women’s utilization rates were 26 per cent for one-stop-shop services, 30 per cent for marketing services, 90 per cent for industrial project development services, 67 per cent for entrepreneurship programme services, and 54 per cent for participation in domestic trade fairs. In the area of social empowerment, more than 1.3 million days of paid employment have been provided to women through community development, human development, and infrastructure and training projects. The proportion of women who benefited from those projects was as follows: 98 per cent for primary healthcare services, 89 per cent for literacy services, 98 per cent for kindergarten projects, and 62 per cent for employment training services.

86.The Government has launched the “Our future is in our hands” initiative to build the capacities of young people, the most vulnerable groups, women heads of household and persons with special needs through a range of vocational and administrative training programmes. A total of 30 million pounds have been disbursed for micro-projects, supporting 3,400 projects, with 100 per cent of the loans directed toward women.

87.By virtue of Decision No. 654 (2021), the Prime Minister has promulgated the implementing regulations for Act No. 152 (2020) on the development of small, medium and micro-enterprises, which makes provision for non-tax incentives for projects focused on certain issues, including the economic empowerment of women, and stipulates that up to 40 per cent of government procurement should be allocated to small, medium, and micro-enterprises.

88.Decision No. 204 (2020) of the Financial Supervisory Authority, was adopted to promote gender equality in non-banking financial services, and Decision No. 205 (2020) provides incentives to companies and non-banking financial entities if at least 25 per cent of their service users are women. Those efforts have been reflected in the indicators for financial inclusion and women’s economic empowerment. By 2023, more than 20.3 million women had bank accounts, a 244 per cent increase as compared to 2016.

89.In 2022, the country took a major step forward with the launch of the National Project for the Development of the Egyptian Family. The Project is aimed at improving the quality of life of families through four main components. The first is economic empowerment, and consists of supporting and economically empowering women, through such programmes such as 2 Kefaya “Two is enough”) and Forsa (“opportunity”), and empowering women aged 18–45 by financing small and medium-sized enterprises. The second component consists of improving services. The aim is to provide family planning methods and have them administered free of charge for everyone by female doctors trained in family planning methods and deployed to healthcare facilities across the country. The third component consists of action in the areas of culture, media and education. Action is being taken to improve young Egyptians’ awareness of basic concepts related to population and the social and economic effects of population growth. Lastly, measures are under way to incorporate relevant material into school and university curricula. In that connection, information has been provided to 6 million women of childbearing age and 2 million young people preparing for marriage.

90.In accordance with the executive directive issued in December 2024, 2 billion Egyptian pounds have been allocated to implement the project, which has benefited more than 28 million citizens, some 90 per cent of whom were women. Of that total, 66 per cent benefited from cultural and awareness-raising initiatives, and 31.5 per cent benefited from economic empowerment programmes. The project reflects the Government’s commitment to addressing demographic challenges comprehensively and sustainably through the concerted efforts of all national actors, coordinated by the National Council for Women and the relevant ministries and civil society organizations.

Article 14: Rural women

91.Through several interconnected initiatives, the Government has focused on empowering women in villages and rural areas in economic, social and healthcare-related terms. These include the National Project for the Development of the Egyptian Family and the presidential “Decent Life” initiative, which form the most significant endeavour to date aimed at improving the living conditions of rural women and their families through infrastructure development, better reproductive health services and the expansion of social protection. Specialized programmes have also been implemented, such as the “Fresh start” initiative to reintegrate women heads of household into the labour market and the Ta7wisha programme, which is being implemented in 13 governorates, most of which are rural, and provides for the establishment of 60,000 savings groups benefiting more than 1.2 million women.

92.Acting through the Ministry of Social Solidarity, the Government has coordinated with other ministries and stakeholders to develop a comprehensive package of programmes aimed at empowering rural women and ensuring their access to basic services and economic opportunities. For that purpose, rural women are given access to social protection programmes through the Takaful and Karamah initiatives. Women account for 75 per cent of beneficiaries of the programme’s cash cards, and priority is given to women in villages and remote areas. Cash assistance has been linked to economic empowerment initiatives through the provision of microloans, social security and financial services aimed at the most vulnerable groups. The Central Bank of Egypt is working to expand access to financing for rural women, including microloans, financial inclusion initiatives and savings services. A strategic financial programme with initial funding of 5 billion Egyptian pounds has been launched to support women, particularly in rural areas, in establishing small income-generating projects.

93.The Government has focused on the economic empowerment of rural women. More than 298,000 women have been trained in setting up and managing small businesses. Financial products, including e-wallets and Meeza cards, are being offered by banks in order to promote financial inclusion. Women have been given ample opportunities in handicraft and entrepreneurship programmes, which have helped to increase the income of rural households and develop their productive capacities.

94.In February 2020, in cooperation with UNDP and Life Makers Foundation, the Ministry of Social Solidarity has launched a community development awareness programme, which is initially aimed at some 60,000 families in five governorates and will eventually be expanded to all governorates. It is intended to change negative societal behaviour that hinders human and economic development by raising community awareness of issues related to economic empowerment, education, knowledge, literacy, maternal and child health and positive parenting. As part of the programme, action has been taken to train 2,500 female community leaders in ways to raise awareness of relevant issues, and to establish nearly 300 literacy classes in collaboration with the “Solidarity and no to illiteracy” initiative. In 2023, a cooperation agreement was signed with the Saint-Gobain Foundation to provide a grant for a project to convert agricultural waste into organic fertilizer in the villages of Hanub and Kafr al-Sahbi, in Qalyubiyah Governorate. A new project to produce organic fertilizer is being implemented in the villages of Minya Governorate with the highest rates of illegal emigration. In the villages of Diljah and Shaykh Mas‘ud, 100 women have been trained to operate machines that shred agricultural waste. The project thereby promotes economic empowerment and reduces illegal migration.

95.The Mawada (“Affection”) programme was launched in order to reach the most vulnerable communities in rural Egypt and provide families with the tools and knowledge to build healthy and stable family relationships. The programme is focused on several areas, including awareness-raising through direct contact, media outreach via digital platforms, training for programme implementers and the transfer of training. From its launch in 2019 up until 2025, the programme has benefited nearly 5.3 million male and female participants, in addition to millions more who have benefited from virtual training sessions via the Mawada digital platform.

96.With regard to health services and family planning, the Ministry of Health and Population has implemented programmes to raise awareness about reproductive health, promote health literacy and provide early screening services, particularly in villages where rural development initiatives are in place. Foremost among those programmes is the presidential initiative for women’s health mentioned above.

97.The National Council for Women has signed a cooperation agreement with Blom Bank Egypt to implement environmentally friendly projects in Upper Egypt. A pilot project has been launched in the village of Rubi, in Minya Governorate, to dispose of and recycle agricultural waste in order to produce organic fertilizer and essential oils. In so doing, the project helps to reduce pollution caused by the burning of agricultural waste, reduce black smoke and decrease reliance on chemical fertilizers, thereby increasing soil fertility and improving public health. As part of the project, seven machines for shredding agricultural waste have been provided in collaboration with the Shabab al-Rubi (“Rubi Youth”) and Ru’yat Hayat (“Vision for life”) associations. Ongoing vocational training is provided for women, and the stages of production are regularly monitored. A total of 147.5 tons has been produced since the launch of the project, which has directly benefited 159 women who have been trained in economic and social empowerment. To ensure the project’s sustainability, a revolving fund has been established, and one third of sales proceeds are allocated to the purchase of supplies for new production cycles. An essential oil extraction machine has been purchased, and the first training course for women is currently being organized with a view to starting production.

Article 15: Equality before the law

98.The Constitution states that all persons are equal before the law and have a right to enjoy its protection. Citizens are equal before the law, the rule of law is the basis of governance in the State, and the State provides protection to victims, witnesses, defendants and complainants when necessary. In accordance with the law, access to justice is a right guaranteed to all under articles 52, 94, 96, and 97 of the Constitution. As numerous rulings of the Supreme Constitutional Court have made clear, all Egyptian constitutions have upheld the principle of equality before the law, which is applicable to all citizens as the very bedrock of justice, freedom and social peace. The Court has also recognized that the fundamental purpose of that principle is to safeguard the rights and freedoms of citizens against any form of discrimination that infringes upon or restricts the exercise of such rights and freedoms. The right of recourse to the courts and of equality before the law has also been upheld in codes of civil, commercial and criminal proceedings and by the Council of State and the Supreme Constitutional Court. Under the law, anyone with a personal and direct interest, even if only a potential interest, has the right to have recourse to the courts and to submit any application or defence.

Article 16: Marriage and family life

99.A contract of marriage is a consensual contract based on an offer and an acceptance. Such a contract can be concluded only with the consent of the bride, otherwise it is void. Furthermore, it is not permissible to register a contract of marriage for anyone of either sex who is under the age of 18 at the time the contract is stipulated. The family is enshrined in article 10 of the Constitution as the cornerstone of society, and the State must undertake to ensure its cohesion and stability and consolidate its values. The Constitution also serves to empower women and to ensure that they are able to reconcile their family duties with the needs of work; it underscores the State’s obligation to protect motherhood and childhood, female breadwinners, older women and women in need; and it ensures comprehensive legal protection against any discriminatory act. Childhood is defined as lasting until a person reaches the age of 18, which is consistent with the Convention.

100.National laws, in particular the Children’s Act, the Penal Code and the Civil Status Code, include provisions that address violence in all its forms, including domestic violence, child marriage and forced marriage. The State remains determined to protect families. Under the law, both parties to a marital relationship have rights that are counterpoised so as to achieve a fair and just balance between them. Under the Egyptian legislative system, the woman has the right to choose her husband, and a marriage contract is a consensual agreement that is offered and accepted. A contract of marriage cannot be concluded if one of the two contracting parties has not reached the age of 18.

101.Laws governing family relations in marriage, divorce, custody and inheritance are based on the Islamic sharia for Muslims. Christian and Jewish Egyptians use their own laws to regulate their personal status and religious affairs (the Constitution, articles 2 and 3). A woman may have recourse to the courts to seek a divorce on any grounds provided for by law. That is without prejudice to her full financial rights, which include the deferred dowry and upkeep during the waiting period, as well as alimony, which must be the equivalent of at least two years of marital upkeep, and can be more depending on the ex-husband’s financial and social situation, the length of the marriage and whether the divorce was amicable or litigated.

102.In a case where the woman finds the marriage intolerable, she has the right to request a divorce in exchange for waiving her sharia financial rights and returning the dowry to compensate the man for financial burdens incurred during the marriage. A ruling granting a divorce sought by a woman is issued by a court of first instance and not subject to any avenue of appeal.

103.A mother has the right to custody of children up through the age of 15. After that, children may choose. Children may stay with the mother by choice until a girl is married or a boy finishes his education, taking the best interests of the child into account. The man is required to provide suitable housing for a nursing mother and infants, and to pay full upkeep for the children (housing, food and clothing) until a girl is married or a boy finishes his education. He must pay for the children’s upbringing, including the wages of a domestic servant if conditions so require.

104.The drafting of Egypt’s new Personal Status Code has been completed. This represents an important legislative step aimed at modernizing and regulating family relations in a manner that ensures justice and stability for all family members. The Code comprises 355 articles divided into three main sections: personal capacity, financial capacity and procedures governing personal matters. It is expected to be submitted to the House of Representatives once the community dialogue sessions have concluded.

105.A specialized digital platform for family counselling was launched in February 2024. Within only two months of its launch, the platform had received 4,200 family counselling requests covering various aspects of family life. A pilot version of the specialized training kit designed for newly formed families (newlyweds) has also been completed, with the aim of equipping them with all the life skills needed to build a healthy, stable and sustainable family unit. The project has trained one million young men and women through 14 initiatives designed to provide them with all the information that they need in order to build and maintain healthy families.

II.Replies to the concluding observations

Observation set out in paragraph 10

Recommendation that Egypt withdraw its reservations to articles 2 and 16 of the Convention

106.Egypt remains fully committed to women’s rights, as evidenced by its early ratification of the Convention and the measures that it has taken to promote their inclusion and ensure their equal enjoyment of rights. Egypt’s reservation in respect of article 2 of the Convention is general in nature. It provides that Egypt is willing to comply with the content of the article provided that such compliance does not run counter to the Islamic sharia. That reservation does not affect the substance of the rights and safeguards that are already provided for, without discrimination between men and women, in the Constitution and the law. For example, the equality of men and women in relation to rights and freedoms is enshrined in 22 articles of the Constitution, foremost among them articles 11 and 53. The legal system guarantees women legal protection on an equal footing with men through the courts. The Government works to ensure equality and prohibit discrimination against women through various public policy measures, laws, administrative and institutional procedures, national human rights plans, and the National Strategy for the Empowerment of Egyptian Women 2030.

Observation set out in paragraph 12

Providing systematic capacity-building and training for government officials, judges, lawyers, prosecutors, police officers and other law enforcement officials on the Convention

107.The Ministry of Justice and the Office of the Public Prosecutor are responsible for training judges and prosecutors on human rights and the provisions of relevant international treaties. They organize training programmes and workshops for male and female judges and members of judicial bodies on leadership skills and techniques, combating violence against women and facilitating women’s access to justice. In addition, in partnership with the National Council for Women, UNODC and the Centre for Judicial Studies, they hold awareness-raising seminars for employees at the Ministry of Justice, courts and the secretariat of the Ministry concerning the crime of female genital mutilation, its risks and its impact on girls. A total of 90 workshops were held during the period 2020-2025 for 2,741 members of judicial bodies members and 950 employees.

108.In cooperation with all relevant international and national entities, the Office of the Public Prosecutor has organized systematic capacity-building and training activities for its staff with the aim of raising awareness of the Convention’s provisions and ensuring their implementation, as well as providing training on best practices for dealing with women in criminal proceedings, protecting and assisting female victims and addressing issues of violence against women. Two workshops have been held for 138 male and female members of the Office of the Public Prosecutor concerning and family law and the legal framework governing crimes of violence against women.

109.Since 2020, the Ministry of the Interior has organized nine training sessions for officers on the topic of combating crimes of violence against women, children and persons with special needs. In 2021, it organized a conference on that topic. Since 2024, 13 training units have been established in order to train female personnel in contemporary security work. The curricula include training modules aimed at raising female police officers’ awareness of the types of crimes committed against women and all forms of discrimination against them. Since 2023, 17 courses have been organized for male and female officers and Police Academy trainees on the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules). In 2023, a training course was organized in cooperation with United Kingdom police on preparing female officers to manage police units; 20 female officers from the Ministry took part.

110.Enhancing women’s awareness of their rights under the Convention and the remedies available to them to claim violations of such rights: The National Council for Women continued to launch major awareness campaigns such as “Womanhood: the secret of your strength”, which reached 456 million people; the “Because I am a man” campaign to engage men in supporting women’s empowerment; and the door-knocking campaign, which is intended to educate women about their political and social rights. The Egyptian legal system includes a comprehensive framework for the protection of human rights. It ensures that effective remedies are available if the rights protected under the Convention are violated. The institutional framework includes numerous mechanisms to promote respect for and protection of human rights, including judicial mechanisms, the national human rights institution, the specialized national councils, and human rights departments within ministries and national agencies.

111.An independent and accessible human rights complaints mechanism has been set up, with the power to receive and investigate complaints and take appropriate action. It is the Human Rights Department in the Office of the Public Prosecutor, which was established pursuant to Decision No. 2034 (2017). The Department receives complaints and reports related to human rights and violations thereof, which it examines, investigates and acts upon. The remaining complaints, having first been submitted to the Office of the Public Prosecutor, are then referred to the competent State prosecution offices for them to take the appropriate action under the law. The Department also follows up on human rights-related cases being examined and investigated by prosecutors.

112.Under article 214 of the Constitution, the National Council for Women, the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood and the National Council for Persons with Disabilities have the right to report to the authorities about any violations related to their areas of action. In addition, the National Council for Human Rights runs a hotline for receiving reports of violations of human rights, particularly the right to equality and non–discrimination, thereby facilitating access to remedies for victims. Procedures for receiving complaints are set forth in the laws that regulate the Councils. Under article 85 of the Constitution, moreover, any individual has the right to submit a signed and written complaint to the public authorities while, under article 138, any citizen can address a complaint to the House of Representatives for referral to the competent ministers. The latter are required to provide the appropriate clarifications if so requested by the House, while the party concerned is to be informed of the outcome of the complaint, as detailed in the rules of procedure of the House.

Observation set out in paragraph 14

Developing an anti-discrimination commission in line with article 53 of theConstitution

113.The National Council for Women is the national mechanism to combat discrimination against women. In the context of the Council’s work, since 2000, plans have been made to mainstream gender equality in Egypt through national plans, culminating in the National Strategy for the Empowerment of Egyptian Women 2030. The equal opportunities units, of which there are 32 in various ministries, are one of the mechanisms used to mainstream the principles of gender equality and equal opportunities in all institutions, the purpose being to improve the lot of Egyptian women, to help women reach leadership and decision-making roles and to narrow the gender gap. The equal opportunities units gather statistical data on women in leadership positions, facilitate access for women to projects being run by ministries and ministerial agencies and integrate the principle of gender equality and equality of opportunity into the preparation, planning, supervision and evaluation of national strategies and plans. The units also conduct studies and research on women’s empowerment, raise awareness about the principle of gender equality and promote gender-sensitive budgeting.

Observation set out in paragraph 16 concerning women’s access to justice

114.The Government has endeavoured to remove physical and procedural barriers facing women by establishing mechanisms for direct referral from the Complaints Office to the Office of the Public Prosecutor and the courts, with the Government covering the costs of certain cases to ensure that everyone has the right to legal recourse. Specialized police and judicial units have been established to combat violence against women, and the Office of the Public Prosecutor has published a procedural guide entitled “Handling cases of violence against women” to streamline procedures and ensure clarity for victims and service providers. Legal protections have been extended to underserved groups. Social workers from the Ministry of Social Solidarity play a pivotal role in villages and local communities by raising awareness about complaint mechanisms and access to the courts in such cases as early marriage and domestic violence.

115.The National Council for Women receives and reviews complaints, refers them to the relevant authorities, and provides legal assistance and counselling to women victims of violence. A hotline has been established to report any relevant violations or complaints. In the past five years alone, it has received approximately 100,000 legal complaints from women, all of which were referred to the relevant authorities. The Complaints Office has successfully secured court rulings in favour of female complainants in nearly 10,000 cases. Reporting hotlines have been established at the Office of the Attorney General, the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Transport and other ministries. Awareness campaigns are being launched to address all forms of violence against women, including on social media, door-knocking campaigns, and school awareness campaigns, not to mention the significant efforts made to combat female genital mutilation. There have been numerous cases in which courts have ruled in favour of women victims of violence, including but not limited to women assaulted by their husbands.

116.In order to promote access to justice and legal aid services, the Penal Code covers all forms of violence against women, both within and outside the family, including sexual offences, female genital mutilation, denial of inheritance rights and cybercrimes. The first integrated unit for the protection of women against violence was established in 2021 to expedite services. Through its Complaints Office, the National Council for Women provides free legal, psychological and social assistance; between 2018 and 2023, it handled 255,630 complaints involving some 182,827 women. In September 2025, in cooperation with UNODC, the Ministry of Justice opened two safe rooms at a Cairo court for women victims of violence.

Combating stigmatization

117.The National Council for Women has paid special attention to breaking down the psychological and social barriers that may prevent women from filing complaints. It has launched widespread media awareness campaigns such as “By being aware. we protect her”, “Womanhood”, “Protect her from female genital mutilation”, and “My country is mine to look after”, emphasizing that women have a constitutional and legal right to file complaints. Educational seminars and awareness-raising sessions have been organized for young people and families to foster a culture of support for women who report violence, rather than stigmatization.

118.Act No. 177 (2020) was enacted to amend certain provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure by adding a new article, article 113 bis, stipulating that the personal information of victims of crimes of harassment, violence, indecent assault and moral corruption shall not be disclosed, as is also provided for in article 96 of the Children’s Act.

Increasing the number of women in the judiciary

119.Please refer to paragraphs 41-43 above, in relation to article 7.

Observation set out in paragraph 18

Ensuring that the strategy and the other gender equality policies are properly monitored and evaluated

120.The Government has worked to monitor and evaluate the National Strategy for the Empowerment of Egyptian Women. The Egypt National Observatory for Women was established in 2017 as an independent monitoring mechanism for the Strategy; it is accessible to everyone and is updated regularly. The plan of action for the Strategy has been overhauled in order to ensure that a tangible difference is made to women’s lives. A regular report on the National Strategy is published regularly on the Council’s website to monitor the implementation of the action plan.

Observation set out in paragraph 20

Accelerating the achievement of substantive equality between women and men in all areas in which women, including rural women and those belonging to marginalized groups, are disadvantaged or underrepresented, in, inter alia, political and public life, education and employment, in particular in the civil service, diplomatic service and judicial service

121.Please refer to the comments above concerning articles 7–11 and 14.

Observation set out in paragraph 22

Responsibilities of women and men in the family and in society; intensifying efforts made with the media to raise public awareness of stereotypes

122.In addition to the points made in paragraphs 24–29 above, concerning article 5, we wish to state that the Government has increasingly focused on eliminating discriminatory stereotypes associated with the roles and responsibilities of women and men in the family and society, in accordance with its constitutional and legal commitment to equality and non-discrimination. The Constitution provides for full gender equality in rights and duties and emphasizes the role of the Government in protecting and empowering women. The National Strategy for the Empowerment of Egyptian Women 2030 was launched with those considerations in mind. It provides a comprehensive framework for promoting women’s participation in all fields and challenging stereotypes that limit their role. The National Council for Women has launched numerous awareness campaigns, such as the “Because I am a man” campaign, which is aimed at challenging traditional notions and encouraging men to support women within the family and society.

123.The Government pays special attention to rural and remote communities through initiatives to combat female genital mutilation and child marriage, in cooperation with the relevant ministries and with the active participation of religious leaders and civil society. In the area of the media, it promotes dramas and programmes that portray women in a positive light and break traditional stereotypes, and is progressively integrating gender equality issues into school curricula.

Observation set out in paragraph 24

Violence against women

124.In addition to the foregoing, we wish to state that physical violence, whether within or outside the family, is punishable under the Penal Code. That includes violence within the family and in any other context, ranging from mild physical force to more severe forms of violence. The provisions of the Penal Code include sexual offences and crimes of violence against women. There are numerous types of sexual assault, each with its own legal classification. The law punishes acts of sexual harassment, indecent exposure to a woman, rape, non-consensual sexual intercourse with a woman, indecent assault, genital mutilation, abduction of a woman, violations of modesty and indecent acts. The law also punishes such acts of violence against women as bullying and discrimination. Other national laws address such crimes as denial of inheritance, cybercrimes, forced and early marriage. They provide for the protection of victims’ data in cases of violence and harassment.

125.The National Strategy includes a specific component on protection against violence, and it provides for an independent body to monitor progress against national indicators. Egypt has adopted a series of executive measures and policies for that purpose including the decision adopted by the Prime Minister in 2021 to establish the first joint unit for the protection of women against violence in order to accelerate procedures and provide all services in a one-stop unit. The decision includes the first explicit definition of violence against women, namely: “any act, behaviour or omission in violation of the Constitution and the law that results in harm or suffering to women, whether physical, material, moral, psychological, social or economic, or an attack on legally guaranteed rights and freedoms, whether in public or private, including threats, coercion or arbitrary deprivation that is contrary to international agreements and commitments”.

126.One of the functions of the National Council for Women is to receive and review reports of violations against women’s rights and freedoms and complaints from female victims of violence, and to refer them to the competent authorities. The Council also seeks to resolve such problems with the parties concerned and to provide the necessary legal assistance free of charge. The complaints office at the National Council for Women can receive reports either in person or via its 15115 hotline or other channels of communication. It then provides counselling as well as legal, psychological and social support to the women concerned and refers the matter to the competent authorities. Between 2018 and 2023, the Council provided services to 182,827 women and handled 255,630 complaints.

127.The Complaints Office has published six procedural guides on addressing various types of violence against women. Using all means of communication, both direct and indirect, the National Council for Women has continued to monitor and implement awareness-raising campaigns concerning violence against women in all its forms, cyberviolence, reporting and protection mechanisms, and Egyptian laws. The Government has conducted a number of relevant studies. In particular, Egypt was the first country in the Arab region to undertake a study on the economic cost of violence against women. In 2021, the Government conducted population health survey in 2021, in addition to other surveys conducted during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. All those actions underscore the importance of eliminating violence against women within the family. A survey on violence against women with disabilities has also been conducted.

128.In a related context, more than 42 anti-harassment and anti-violence units have been set up at universities, as well as a unit to combat violence against women at the Ministry of Justice and similar divisions in directorates of the Ministry of the Interior. There are 12 “safe women” units for female victims of violence at university hospitals, 18 medical response units in primary care facilities run by the Ministry of Health and Population and 3 forensic medicine clinics for victims of violence and sexual assault, as well as online services for families at the Office of the Public Prosecutor. At the governorate level, a total of 12 women’s shelters take in victims of violence. The first shelter for victims of human trafficking was opened in November 2020 to assist trafficked persons who are suffering as a result of their ordeal and require specialized care.

129.Using the international questionnaire as a basis, a national questionnaire has been developed to use when reporting cases of violence against women. Training programmes have been put in place for service providers and other relevant authorities. These have benefited 5,405 persons over recent years, including judges, prosecutors, police officers, medical personnel and the staff of anti-violence units. This is in addition to the publication of a number of manuals, including: a forensic manual for doctors; a manual on effective police response to crimes of violence against women; a medical manual for healthcare providers; a manual for prosecutors; a manual on effective judicial response to crimes of violence against women; a manual for case management and psychological support; a manual for judges; a manual for anti-violence units at universities; and a manual for “safe women” units at university hospitals.

130.The National Council for Women has launched an initiative to support the establishment of standing committees at the governorate level to eliminate violence against women. The committees will be responsible for coordinating multidisciplinary efforts across all sectors and for developing local-level policies and protocols to protect women against violence in all its forms.

131.In coordination with the Ministry of Health and Population, the Secretariat for Mental Health, the National Council for Women and the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood, law enforcement agencies seek to provide psychological care and community support services to female victims of violence. Between 2021 and 2025, a total of 2,203 perpetrators of violence against women (sexual harassment and assault) were apprehended.

132.The National Council for Women has established a subcommittee under its purview to engage in scientific research, technological development and cybersecurity. It comprises experts and specialists tasked with formulating relevant policies and plans, training personnel to handle complaints of cybercrimes, and strengthening cooperation with law enforcement agencies to ensure an effective and comprehensive response. The National Council for Women has carried out comprehensive awareness-raising campaigns to combat cyberviolence against women and girls, using traditional media and social media platforms to reach a wide audience. Such campaigns have included the “Speak up” and “Be accountable for what you say” campaigns, which were launched in partnership with Instagram to combat cyberbullying and foster a positive environment, and have reached more than 5.8 million viewers. An initiative titled “Empowering women to feel safe online” was launched in partnership with Facebook, and included awareness-raising videos featuring celebrities. In cooperation with the Ministry of Communications, training courses were organized on digital citizenship and cyber-extortion, and a women’s safety guide was published in partnership with Facebook to educate women about the tools available to protect themselves against cybercrime. As part of a national investment in girls, the Council has launched the Dawwie and Noura programmes, which include focused activities aimed at raising awareness among girls about cybercrime and ways to prevent it.

Criminalizing female genital mutilation and prosecuting doctors who commit it

133.Legislative measures have been taken to amend the Penal Code with a view to strengthening penalties for female genital mutilation and expanding the scope of its criminalization. Most recently, and for the first time, Act No. 10 (2021) provides for the prosecution of anyone who commits female genital mutilation as defined in the Act, which covers the international definition of female genital mutilation. All references to medical justification have been removed. Stricter penalties are provided for if the act results in permanent disability or the death of the victim. Separate penalties are provided for doctors, nurses and the facility. A penalty is also provided for anyone who promotes, encourages or advocates for the commission of the crime of female genital mutilation. The scope of criminalization has thus been expanded to include all forms of incitement or encouragement to commit the crime.

Cases of forced marriage of children

134.Article 31 bis of the Civil Status Code prohibits the registration of any marriage contract involving persons under the age of 18. The Penal Code provides a term of imprisonment or a fine for anyone who anyone who provides false information or false documents for the purpose of legitimizing the marriage of a child who is under the legal age.

135.Security measures are taken to combat and control all forms of crime committed against children. These include mechanisms whereby to submit complaints and reports and the monitoring of social media sites to detect any abuse against children. Between January 2014 and October 2023, 412 cases were opened, involving 609 defendants and 895 child victims. The cases included the exploitation of children for the purposes of child marriage, begging, immoral acts and sexual assault. In coordination with the competent prosecutors, legal action was taken in respect of the incidents.

Observation set out in paragraph 26

Trafficking in women and exploitation of prostitution

136.Please refer to paragraphs 30–36 above, in relation to article 6.

Observation set out in paragraph 28

Equal participation in political and public life

137.Please refer to paragraphs 37–45 above, in relation to article 7.

Observation set out in paragraph 30

Women human rights defenders and civil society organizations

138.Egypt endorses the Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, adopted by the General Assembly in its resolution 53/144 of 1998, and recalls article 2 thereof, according to which domestic law is the juridical framework within which human rights and fundamental freedoms should be implemented and enjoyed. The Government emphasizes that everyone is equal before the law and that, according to the Declaration, there is a corresponding responsibility that accompanies the enjoyment of the rights referred to in the Declaration. Discrimination between citizens before the law is also prohibited; national legislation does not provide protection for any specific group. The protection afforded by the Constitution and the law to guarantee freedom of opinion and expression, including the defence of human rights, is broad enough to guarantee that right for all without discrimination against any specific group.

139.Civil society: Care has been taken to create a new climate of trust between the State and civil society. The year 2022 was declared the Year of Civil Society in Egypt. Civil society organizations that had previously been in violation were allowed to turn over a new leaf. Pending cases were settled. Most notably, investigations were wrapped up in Case No. 173, known in the media as the “foreign funding” case, and the case was fully closed in March 2024. The political leadership has responded quickly to many of the National Dialogue’s demands for the release of convicted persons who meet the conditions for a presidential pardon.

140.An integrated electronic system for managing civil society activities has been launched. It provides 36 services to civil society organizations in Egypt, in addition to services related to records and documents, case and complaint management, beneficiary management, news content and more. More than 35,770 domestic and foreign NGOs have filed to regularize their status. Paperwork and electronic documents have been completed for 33,000 of them. The rest are under consideration. A total of 55 foreign NGOs have been regularized. In 2023, NGOs received 13.305 billion Egyptian pounds in funding, of which 66 per cent was local and 34 per cent international. The Non-Governmental Organizations Assistance Fund provided some 383 million Egyptian pounds in grants to NGOs in 2023.

Observation set out in paragraph 32

Nationality

141.Please refer to paragraphs 50 and 51 above, in relation to article 9.

Observation set out in paragraph 34

Education

142.Please refer to paragraphs 52-59 above, in relation to article 10.

Addressing discriminatory stereotypes in traditionally male-dominated fields of study and career paths

143.The Government’s efforts to empower women have not been limited to their participation in political and social spheres; they have included strengthening women’s leadership roles in engineering and technology and in implementing major national projects. Since February 2022, a female engineer has been leading the project to build the largest locally produced warship at the Alexandria Shipyard, which belongs to the Marine Industries and Services Organization under the Armed Forces. She is a graduate of the Shipbuilding Section, Faculty of Engineering, and has been working at the shipyard for 19 years. Several female engineers and experts have been appointed to leadership positions in major national projects, including tunnel-boring projects, nuclear and power plants, renewable energy projects, data centres and artificial intelligence. Those appointments reflect the Government’s firm commitment to equality, equal opportunities and the empowerment of women in various sectors related to production and development.

144.A survey has been conducted of women in science, technology engineering and mathematics. The target sample included 411 female researchers at 30 research centres and universities in those fields. The survey showed that women accounted for 30 per cent of researchers in the natural sciences, 27 per cent in engineering, 27 per cent in medical sciences and 16 per cent in agricultural sciences. Women made up 40 per cent of the researchers who participated in the study.

Measures to prevent sexual violence and harassment in schools and universities

145.Please refer to paragraphs 128–130 above.

Observation made in paragraph 36

146.Prohibiting wage discrimination and ensuring women’s access to the labour market

147.Please refer to paragraphs 60–72 above, in relation to article 11.

Increasing the number of affordable and accessible childcare facilities throughout the country

148.The National Early Childhood Development Programme has been launched as part of the Government’s efforts to empower women and provide early childhood care for children under the age of 4. Licences have been granted to a total of 48,225 daycare centres. Some 1.7 million children are enrolled in daycare centres, a coverage rate of 17.3 per cent. There are a total of 254,322 male and female staff members. There are some 10.2 million children aged 0-4 in Egypt, and the occupancy rate in existing daycare centres is 61 per cent. There are 133,375 classes and 254,322 workers in the sector. Some 31 per cent of children the 2–4 age group are enrolled in daycare. The Delta region has the highest enrolment rate, at 42 per cent for 20,079 daycare centres, followed by Upper Egypt at 30 per cent for 14,362 daycare centres, Greater Cairo at 23 per cent for 11,246 daycare centres, the Canal Region with 3 per cent for 1,621 nurseries and the Border Region with only 2 per cent for 917 nurseries. The Government has formed a ministerial working group to develop a package of corrective and expansionary measures to increase the number of daycare centres, expand their services and finalize the draft regulations governing daycare centres, pending approval of the final code by the relevant committee.

Ratifying the Violence and Harassment Convention, 2019 (No. 190) of the International Labour Organization

149.In accordance with the provisions of the Constitution, and in order to ensure consistency and coherence in its international obligations, Egypt periodically reviews its treaty status in light of national priorities, reassessing its stance on international instruments to which it has not acceded or provisions to which it has entered reservations.

Observation set out in paragraph 38

Women domestic workers

150.A draft law on domestic workers is being prepared with the aim of providing protection and care for that category, regularizing their status, integrating them into the formal labour market, providing them with training and qualifications, granting them professional licences, and ensuring that employment agencies and employers operate legally through formal employment contracts and legal licences. The draft law includes provisions regulating their training, working hours, leave, wages and insurance, as well as mechanisms for inspecting homes and for handling complaints. Other provisions take into account their interests and the specific character of their type of employment relationship.

Observation set out in paragraph 40

Increasing the budget allocated to health care and accelerating the implementation of the Comprehensive Health Insurance System Act

151.Public spending on health has been increased to 496 billion Egyptian pounds in the fiscal year 2024/25, an increase of 465 billion Egyptian pounds compared to the budget for the fiscal year 2013/14.

152.The country took a big step forward with the promulgation of the Comprehensive Health Insurance Act (Act No. 2 (2018)), which provides for mandatory coverage for all citizens residing inside the country, plus provision for optional extension to citizens living abroad. Under the Act, the Government is required to provide a body of services: public health, preventive treatment, ambulance services, family planning, free health services during disasters and epidemics and workplace injury services. The Act is being applied gradually across the governorates to ensure its financial sustainability and actuarial balance. It also requires the State to upgrade the efficiency of its health facilities on an incremental basis before beginning to implement the new comprehensive health insurance system, the philosophy of which is based on compulsoriness and on social solidarity, with the State bearing the cost for persons who are unable to pay. In the system, financing is separate from service provision; the former is funded and administered by the Health Insurance Authority, while the Healthcare Authority is responsible for providing healthcare and treatment services inside and outside hospitals.

153.The Government is working to reach 100 per cent health insurance coverage by 2030. Its current programme of action is aimed at achieving 85 per cent coverage by 2026/27. Against the backdrop of an annual budget increase of 20 per cent, the transition period from the old health insurance scheme to comprehensive health insurance will see a 35 per cent increase in coverage that will include farmers, agricultural workers, irregular workers and other vulnerable groups. The second stage of the comprehensive health insurance scheme will see coverage extended to five new governorates and a further 12.8 million citizens.

154.The Government has launched a presidential initiative for women’s health, which has achieved significant results in the early detection of breast cancer. More than 50 million routine screening visits have taken place. Services have been provided to more than 30 million women, more than 30,000 cases have been diagnosed, the rate of advanced-stage cases has decreased from 70 per cent to 30 per cent, and the diagnosis period has been shortened. The Ministry of Health and Population has developed a comprehensive plan to reduce caesarean deliveries to the lowest possible level and promote safe natural childbirth. The Egyptian Government had conducted a survey of 53,000 women, which showed that the caesarean section rate had reached 88 per cent. The survey also showed that 82 per cent of women practised birth spacing (3–5 years), unintended pregnancies had decreased from 20 per cent to 7.5 per cent, and the use of long-acting contraceptives had increased to more than 60 per cent. The Ministry of Health and Population has adopted safe childbirth guidelines and established natural birth rooms in all its hospitals. It has required hospitals to submit periodic reports on the rates of and reasons for caesarean sections.

Adopting measures to combat discrimination, violence and stigma against women living with HIV/AIDS and women using drugs

155.In November 2024, Egypt and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria signed a framework agreement aimed at strengthening public health systems in Egypt. The agreement is focused on the national response to HIV and tuberculosis, and on mitigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare infrastructure. It underscores Egypt’s commitment to building a robust healthcare system capable of supporting the most vulnerable populations by providing life-saving prevention and diagnostic services. That commitment reflects Egypt’s dedication to supporting vulnerable groups in the fight against HIV. As part of the national programme to combat AIDS and tuberculosis, HIV prevention kits have been provided to more than 18,600 people, and treatment has been provided to nearly 1,000 people, including migrants.

156.In December 2024, the national strategy to combat HIV/AIDS was updated to cover the period 2024-2030. The key focus areas include guidelines and protocols; diagnostic and treatment protocols are established by relevant scientific committees, and 100 per cent of HIV medications are made available for the treatment of patients at the Government’s expense through 27 centres across all governorates. The updated strategy includes the concept of “three zeros”, i.e. zero new infections, zero AIDS-related deaths and zero discrimination. The three zeros are a guiding principles and inspire action across the areas of prevention, treatment, and human rights.

157.The updated strategy has four key components: maximizing equity and equality in access to HIV services; breaking down barriers to achieve outcomes in relation to HIV; ensuring that the necessary resources are available for effective responses to HIV and are sustainable and integrated into health and social protection systems, humanitarian situations and pandemic responses; and updating data to guide targeted interventions.

158.Drug control and accessible mental health care services: the National Addiction Strategy (2024–2028) was launched in collaboration with relevant ministries and agencies and in coordination with UNODC. Its key areas of focus include combating drug use, reducing the risks of substance abuse and addiction, implementing family-oriented prevention and early detection programmes with a focus on regions most vulnerable to drug-related issues, and providing all treatment services to patients free of charge and in complete confidentiality, in accordance with international standards.

159.Numerous measures have been adopted to combat the stigma surrounding drug use and substance abuse. Particular attention is paid to ensuring the provision of appropriate health services to all groups, including women. For that purpose, the Fund to Combat and Treat Addiction, under the Ministry of Social Solidarity, works to develop and implement general and targeted policies in the area of addiction prevention and treatment and raising awareness about the dangers of addiction. Awareness campaigns and initiatives have been launched in several governorates, including a campaign entitled “Raising public awareness of the dangers of addiction” and another entitled “Correcting misconceptions about drug use”. The Fund organizes outreach campaigns in more than 10,000 schools a year and in universities, urbanized areas and public gathering places. It produces innovative media campaigns such as “If you keep making excuses” and events such as “Caravans of joy”. It also collaborates with the Ministry of Religious Endowments (Awqaf) to harmonize Friday sermons on the dangers of drugs.

160.In cooperation with the Nasser Social Bank, and as part of the “New beginning” initiative, the Fund provides some 6 million Egyptian pounds in loans to persons in recovery. The “In our own hands” initiative, which is unprecedented anywhere in the world, provides carpentry training to persons in recovery so that they can set up new treatment centres with their own hands. Sports and recreational and craft activities are organized to remove the stigma surrounding those in recovery and reintegrate them into society. The Mawada programme addresses the social repercussions for the families of persons in recovery. The Fund also supports scientific research by granting an annual award for young researchers, produces specialized scientific reports to analyse the media and televised fiction, and uses research findings to develop national policies.

161.The National Online Platform for Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Services was launched in March 2022 with the aim of providing free mental health and addiction treatment services to all age groups of Egyptian citizens and residents. The Platform will facilitate access to high-quality psychological counselling and support while maintaining complete privacy and confidentiality. It will help overcome the stigma surrounding mental health disorders in society, correct misconceptions and provide accurate information to everyone. The first specialized media observatory has been established to monitor Egyptian televised dramas that address issues of smoking and drug use. The first code of ethics for drama producers has been adopted. A preventive component has been incorporated into five educational curricula at the pre-university level. Life skills programmes aimed at preventing addiction have been implemented in 25,000 schools, 1,400 youth centres and 310 youth camps.

162.The Ministry of Social Solidarity has expanded the establishment of addiction treatment centres, whose number has increased from 12 in 2014 to 30 in 2022. Six independent units have been established to provide treatment services for women; three separate units have been established for adolescents under a specialized treatment programme, and four units have been established to treat patients with dual diagnoses. The Ministry of Social Solidarity has implemented drug prevention programmes in 17,000 schools, 1,000 youth centres and 14 public universities, and has organized 270 youth camps. It has expanded its network of young volunteers to include 30,000 young volunteers in the field of drug prevention, and has established volunteer centres at four universities.

163.Legalizing abortion: The Penal Code permits abortion in cases of extreme medical danger that would pose a threat to the life of the mother and the fetus, in order to preserve the fetus’ right to life and to uphold the State’s duty of care for the pregnant mother and the constitutional principles that safeguard the sanctity of the body. Abortions may, however, be performed to save the life of the pregnant woman on grounds of necessity, or if the life or health of the mother is in danger, or if the fetus has congenital abnormalities. Doctors are trained in interacting with victims of violence against women.

164.The Ministry of Health recognizes the need to take preventive measures against pregnancy in reported cases of rape. Women victims of rape are given the appropriate medication. As mentioned above, that medication is available at “safe women” units in university hospitals affiliated with the National Council for Women. In coordination with CNV, the Ministry of Health provides safe and effective services at an affordable cost to women of reproductive age, from the ages of 15 to 49. Contraceptives and related counselling are provided free of charge, along with treatment for sexually transmitted infections and management of side effects that may result from using those methods. Action is taken to raise awareness of reproductive health issues and to provide a variety of contraceptives to women at subsidized prices, in order to reduce the needs that are not met through State-provided, free reproductive healthcare services.

Observation set out in paragraph 42

Allocating sufficient resources to ensure access for women in informal sectors to the national social security programmes

165.The Government launched its Takaful and Karamah social protection programmes in 2015. The Solidarity programme is a conditional cash transfer scheme that provides income support to poor families with children under the age of 18. In order to benefit from the programme, the children are required to attend school regularly and to make use of healthcare facilities. The programme particularly targets poor women and families. The Takaful programme provides unconditional cash transfers to the poor, to older persons (over the age of 65) and to persons with severe disabilities. In 2014/15 a total of 2.5 million families, comprising 9.3 million individuals, benefited from the programmes, at a cost of 6.7 billion Egyptian pounds. By 2024 this had increased to 5.3 million families, comprising 22 million individuals, at a cost of 41 billion Egyptian pounds. Sixty per cent of beneficiaries are in the Takaful programme and 40 per cent in Dignity.

166.In a related context, a database of poor families in Egypt has been developed, which currently includes 11.8 million families, or 42.5 million citizens, while cash assistance is provided on an irregular basis to 4.5 million families facing difficulties, with a monthly average of 400 Egyptian pounds. In addition to this, 500,000 families were funded by organizations belonging to the National Alliance for Civil Development Work in the financial year 2023/24.

167.The Government has also rolled out programmes to protect the rights of workers in the informal sector, with the introduction of the safety certificate in 2018, the main aim of which is to provide insurance cover and to ensure family stability in case of death for seasonal and temporary workers, workers who do not have a fixed income and single women. A fund has been established to support irregular workers against risks of various kinds. Its purpose is to provide grants – “income replacement subsidies” – for such persons if their income is interrupted as a result of extraordinary economic conditions or epidemics and to address shortcomings in unemployment insurance for irregular workers and small-scale employers. The fund is also intended to benefit persons for whom the Ministry of Social Solidarity holds detailed data but who do not meet the eligibility criteria for the Takaful and Karamah programmes.

168.The Government is increasing the amount of public spending it allocates to social protection, which went up from 327.7 billion Egyptian pounds in the financial year 2019/20 to 635.9 billion Egyptian pounds in the budget for the financial year 2024/25, an increase of 94 per cent. Social protection programmes include food subsidies, social and health insurance, social housing, and cash transfer programmes (Takaful and Karamah).

169.Women benefit from 89 per cent of social protection programmes. The budget for the Takaful and Karamah programmes has increased by 235 per cent. Women account for 65 per cent of the beneficiaries of training programmes for government employees.

Observation set out in paragraph 44

Enforcing the implementation of Act No. 219 (2017) to ensure the protection of the rights of rural women to inheritance and land ownership

170.The Government is working to effectively implement the provisions of Act No. 219 (2017), by virtue of which the penalties for the crime of depriving women of their lawful share of inheritance are increased. Several measures have been taken to ensure that rural women can exercise their rights. These include: establishing simplified mechanisms for receiving complaints through specialized units within the public prosecutor’s offices and law enforcement agencies; promptly investigating and prosecuting perpetrators and imposing appropriate penalties; and providing remedies for victims, including the restoration of their in-kind and financial rights and appropriate compensation. Efforts are being made to emphasize that denying women their inheritance rights is a serious matter, as it means depriving them of their constitutional and legal rights.

Adopting and implementing legal and policy measures to ensure that rural women effectively have access to education, health care, employment, microfinancing and microcredit at low interest rates

171.In addition to what is stated in paragraphs 91–97 above, with reference to article 14, it should be noted that the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency has helped to support and empower women by providing 18 billion Egyptian in funding over 11 years to finance small and micro-enterprises led by women in all governorates. That funding has helped to create at least 1.2 million job opportunities. The Fund works to empower women to take advantage of all the financial and non-financial services and products offered by the Agency.

172.As a result of measures taken to encourage rural women to use banking services, financial inclusion rates among women have increased. The financial inclusion of women has increased at a rate of 252 per cent. The updated Egypt Vision 2030 includes the care economy, which is one of the most important drivers of women’s empowerment. The first collective brand for women entrepreneurs, Tali Shandaweel, has been launched in Suhaj Governorate.

Recommendation made in paragraph 46

Ensuring the access of women and girls with disabilities to inclusive education, employment, justice, public services and adequate health care

173.The Government has taken a range of measures to empower women with disabilities in the areas of education, employment and community participation. In the area of education, the Ministry of Education continues to implement an inclusive education plan that allows for the integration of girls and boys with disabilities into schools and universities while providing reasonable accommodations such as accessible curricula and assistive technology tools. The General Authority for Literacy and Adult Education implements literacy programmes aimed at women with disabilities, particularly in rural and remote areas, to help them become literate and strengthen their basic skills. The Government has put in place university scholarships for high-achieving girls with disabilities to enable them to pursue higher education, while also providing university housing that meets their needs.

174.In the area of the economy, the Ministry of Social Solidarity and the Ministry of Labour organize vocational training programmes for women with disabilities to equip them with competitive professional skills. The Government also provides low-interest loans to finance small businesses run by women with disabilities, with interest waivers in some cases to support the sustainability of these businesses. In collaboration with the private sector, special job fairs are held for women with disabilities, in order to connect them with available job opportunities and encourage employers to hire them. With regard to political and social empowerment, a national campaign has been launched to promote women’s political participation and encourage them to engage in public life. The campaign includes workshops and awareness programmes on the rights of women with disabilities.

175.The Government ensures that women with disabilities are adequately represented in the House of Representatives, in accordance with the 5 per cent quota allocated under the Constitution to people with disabilities in elected bodies. It provides free legal assistance through specialized units designed to provide guidance to women with disabilities regarding their legal options to protect their rights or obtain the benefits to which they are entitled. The Government has not overlooked the healthcare and cultural dimensions of the issue. The Ministry of Health is working to provide appropriate reproductive health services for women with disabilities, supported by outreach programmes that take their specific needs into account. The Ministry of Culture encourages artistic initiatives, such as inclusive theatre, to ensure that women with disabilities can participate in cultural and artistic activities. Taken together, these measures reflect Egypt’s firm and ongoing commitment to promoting and protecting the rights of women and girls with disabilities by empowering them in various areas and ensuring that they enjoy equal opportunities.

176.The Government is committed to ensuring that persons with disabilities, including women and girls, have equitable and affordable access to all types of health care services. An integrated services card has been issued that allows holders to access healthcare services, including those not covered by health insurance. Holders are exempted from the medical commission fee associated with obtaining tax- and fee-exempt vehicles. A specialized national health database has been established. More than 37,000 prosthetic devices were delivered between 2019 and 2024, and physical therapy services were provided at affordable rates.

177.Access to public facilities and services: The engineering code is being implemented in public buildings and road design in order to ensure that dedicated walkways and ramps are provided for people with disabilities on pavements and walkways. The code has been applied to 14 railway stations and 35 metro stations, which have been equipped with wheelchairs, escalators and elevators. Discounts have been provided on metro tickets. The code has been implemented in 24 new courthouses and in all public facilities in the New Administrative Capital. Service windows suitable for the needs of people with disabilities have been installed in technology centres that provide services to the public.

178.Refugees, asylum-seeking women and migrant workers: A new law, Act No. 164 (2024), has been enacted to regulate asylum for foreigners. The new law is consistent with Egypt’s international obligations and the 1951 Convention relating to the status of refugees. It ensures that such persons are protected and enjoy of all the rights and freedoms guaranteed to them under the Convention. The Act establishes a national committee responsible for managing refugee affairs and adjudicating asylum applications on a case-by-case basis within specified time frames, under full judicial oversight. Priority is given to the consideration of applications from persons with disabilities, older persons, pregnant women, unaccompanied children and victims of human trafficking, torture and sexual violence. The Act includes explicit provisions prohibiting the forced deportation or refoulement of refugees to places where they would be at risk. It guarantees their right to voluntarily return to their country of nationality or residence, to be voluntarily resettled in another country, or to obtain Egyptian citizenship.

179.Issuing and renewing official documentation and residence permits for women refugees, asylum-seeking women and women migrant workers: Permits for work for a period of one to three years to foreign nationals working in the Government, the business sector, affiliated companies, public bodies, local government units and companies contracted by ministries or government agencies, on the basis of a letter from the government agency. Foreign nationals working in the private and investment sectors are granted residence permits to work for a period of one to three years based on a work permit. Work residency for a period of five years is granted to foreign nationals who apply to the General Authority for Investments to study the feasibility of an investment project after the project is approved and they are considered investors. Foreign nationals working in special economic zones are treated like investors and granted residency for a period of five years. The spouse and children of foreign investors and workers are also granted residency on an equal footing. The investor’s parents (father and mother) and their family members are also granted a non-tourist residence permit for a renewable one-year period. The Ministry of the Interior is committed to helping foreign nationals to obtain all necessary identification documents.

180.Egypt, which is home to 10.7 million foreign nationals, including migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers of 62 nationalities, is determined to ensure that such persons have access to basic services and that they are integrated into society rather than being required to remain in camps or refugee centres. Migrants and refugees who reside in the country, and their minor children, enjoy equal access to the healthcare and education systems. They are fully covered by primary healthcare services, and they are included in nationwide health campaigns and programmes.

181.Providing appropriate assistance to women and girls who are victims of or who are at risk of gender-based violence and trafficking: In accordance with the Act on illegal migration and the smuggling of migrants, Prime Ministerial Decision No. 396 (2023) was adopted to regulate the fund for combating illegal migration and protecting migrants and witnesses, and Prime Ministerial Decision No. 349 (2024) was adopted to regulate the assistance fund for victims of human trafficking. The two funds provide financing for care and rehabilitation programmes for trafficked migrants, as well as medical and psychological care for women and children, particularly unaccompanied children, to protect them from all forms of violence and exploitation.

Observation set out in paragraph 48

Adopting and implementing measures to improve the conditions in detention facilities

182.Under Act No. 14 (2022) amending certain provisions of Act No. 396 (1956) on the regulation of prisons, a number of prisons were renamed as reform and rehabilitation centres, the prison department of the Ministry of the Interior became the community protection department, and prisoners were reclassified as inmates. The Act provides that inmates in reform and rehabilitation centres have the right to take examinations and to be notified directly – rather that via the prison governor – of legal and judicial documents, a copy of which they can then send to a person of their choice. These amendments to the law reflect a change in the disciplinary philosophy of the Ministry of the Interior, as the new Act seeks to consolidate the principle of inmates’ rights, to provide them with community protection and to reform and reintegrate them into society.

183.The Ministry of the Interior has overseen the implementation of development projects for correctional and rehabilitation centres through phased plans, which began in 2021 and included the construction of new centres across five complexes and the closure of 26 old prisons. The complexes include women’s centres that provide various aspects of necessary medical care, most notably the construction of five new hospitals equipped with the latest medical devices and equipment. Equipment for the early detection of breast cancer is provided, and inmates are given the opportunity to engage in manual labour to earn income. Personal hygiene supplies are distributed periodically a as monthly allowance akin to food and drink allowances. One of the main reasons for the increase in the number of inmates is the difficult economic conditions that force many women to take on debt to meet family needs. The most prominent measure taken to reduce overcrowding is the presidential initiative “Egypt without female debtors”, under which 5,784 female debtors have been released in the last three years at a cost of 224 Egyptian million pounds, with the Government paying off a significant portion of their debts as part of a broader plan that includes the provision of economic support to ensure that they do not fall back into debt. Former inmates of correctional and rehabilitation centres receive social and psychological support and undergo social reintegration programmes.

184.Thirteen centres for the screening and prevention of HIV and hepatitis have been established, and comprehensive screening is conducted for hepatitis C. Several surgical procedures are conducted in hospitals, including such highly specialized procedures as heart surgery. Male and female inmates are provided with daily exercise periods, and they receive regular visits from their lawyers and families without discrimination. Six nurseries and a shelter have been established. They currently house 57 children with their mothers, who are allowed to nurse their infants and live with them until the age of four. Medical care is provided throughout pregnancy, as is all necessary care for the children, including food, clothing, vaccinations and medical care.

Healthcare in prisons and places of detention

185.From September 2024 to June 2025, the Ministry of the Interior continued its efforts to improve the standard of healthcare and living conditions in correctional and rehabilitation centres. As regards the availability of medicines and medical supplies, quantities of medicines with a total value of some 97,862,650 Egyptian pounds were supplied to the hospitals and clinics at those centres across the country. Medical examinations were conducted for new inmates, and health records were created for them. Medical examinations were performed on inmates suffering from various illnesses at hospitals and clinics in the centres. The necessary treatment was provided, and inmates were vaccinated against infectious diseases. A range of surgical procedures were performed in the hospitals of the Community Protection Department.

186.As part of efforts to provide comprehensive healthcare to children at the Marg juvenile correctional facility, the facility’s healthcare system has been upgraded in coordination with the Ministry of Health and Population, the Egyptian Red Crescent Society and a number of partner organizations. The aim is to promote the physical and mental health of the children and provide a supportive environment that contributes to their rehabilitation and reintegration into society. The facility’s healthcare system includes integrated preventive and therapeutic measures, and cases requiring external intervention are referred to specialized hospitals.

187.In 2025, several medical outreach programmes were carried out within the facility in collaboration with the Egyptian Red Crescent Society and other medical organizations. The programmes covered various specialties and provided diagnostic and treatment services to a large number of inmates. Lectures were also organized to raise awareness of health issues.

188.Promptly investigating all alleged cases of violence against women in detention: The Office of the Public Prosecutor investigates all criminal cases and is the sole authority that is competent to lodge and initiate cases with the judiciary. It should be noted that, under the Penal Code, it is not necessary for a complaint or a report to be filed for torture and ill-treatment offences. The Ministry of the Interior examines complaints of torture received from various national bodies (including the harmonized complaints system of the Cabinet, specialized national councils, the Office of the Public Prosecutor and the Ministry of Justice) and has taken various measures, such as opening hotlines for the reporting of human rights violations and investigating complaints and responding to them quickly and even-handedly. The Ministry has also established specialized human rights units at all police departments and stations at the country level and has assigned officers to receive complaints from civilians. During the period 2021-2025, legal and disciplinary measures were taken in incidents in which 949 employees of the Ministry of the Interior were implicated, including the use of force, wrongful detention, use of force, ill-treatment and use of force. A total of 668 incidents were referred to disciplinary courts and 281 to the Office of the Public Prosecutor.

189.The Ministry of the Interior is committed to promoting a culture of human rights by teaching human rights courses covering all relevant topics to all levels at the Police Academy, as well as through specialized training courses and graduate programmes. The Ministry organizes numerous seminars and lectures on human rights for its staff. It provides training about the Nelson Mandela Rules to staff at correctional and rehabilitation centres. In the period 2021-2025, it organized 151 training events for Ministry staff in coordination with IOM, UNODC and the International Committee of the Red Cross in the areas of protecting the rights of migrants, combating crimes related to irregular migration and human trafficking, and raising awareness of the principles and standards of international humanitarian law.

Observation set out in paragraph 50

Equality in marriage and family relations

190.Please refer to paragraphs 99–105 above, in relation to article 16.

Observation set out in paragraph 52

Ratifying the Optional Protocol to the Convention.

191.Please refer to paragraph 149 above.

Observation set out in paragraph 53

Using the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and to further evaluate the realization of the rights enshrined in the Convention

192.As part of the Government’s commitment to linking the Convention with the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, 25 years after the adoption of the latter, a series of integrated steps and policies have been adopted. All those efforts, including legislative reforms, outreach programmes and national strategies, are set out in the Beijing+25 report, and are examples of practical steps that reflect Egypt’s commitment to closing gender gaps and achieving substantive equality in marriage and family relations. Egypt has produced a report concerning the progress made on the Beijing Platform for Action from 2019 to March 2024 (see annex 4).