Founded in 1996, the Egyptian Center for Women’s Rights is an independent, non-governmental organization that is committed to improving the political and legal status of women and confronting all forms of gender-related discrimination. The conviction that women’s rights are an integral part of human rights is what drives the Center’s work. In this framework, ECWR highlights the importance of women’s participation in public life as an activist, voter and candidate, as well as developing women’s legal and political awareness and pushing for legislative change

Context:
The Arab region currently ranks among the lowest in the world in terms of the Gender Empowerment Measure (GEM). Although there is no consensus on a single reason behind this, factors range from cultural and social challenges, and misinterpretation of religion, to a lack of democratic regimes, weak civil society and women’s movements, to low literacy rates and lack of attention to women’s perspectives and practical gender needs. In Egypt, women face many inequalities in education, health, employment, and legal issues, and are often subject to extreme physical and mental violence by their husbands and families, especially in rural and impoverished areas.

ECWR’s Philosophy:
The Egyptian Center for Women’s Rights (ECWR) is an independent, non-governmental organization that was founded in 1996 by six young women in Dar el Salam in order to improve the political and human status of women in Egypt and the Arab region. ECWR’s work is based on the belief that women’s rights are an integral part of human rights and are key to any substantive progress towards building a democratic culture and development in Egypt and the Middle East region. Our programs help women to obtain their rights through legal channels, awareness raising, training, legal and family counseling, monitoring of rights violations inflicted on women, and empowering women to participate in political life through a variety of means, as an activist, voter and candidate.

ECWR carries out programs and projects at the grassroots level that cover all areas of Egypt, urban and rural, in addition to our advocacy work on the official level and coalition and capacity building activities among civil society in Egypt and the Arab region. Our track record of success in these endeavors is evidenced by being named Winner of the World Bank’s 2000 Development Marketplace and one of the World’s 10 Best Development Programs in 2002.

Significance:
The UNDP’s 2002 Arab Human Development Report cites shortfalls in women’s representation in decision-making positions and labor and literacy and participation as one of the three most immediate obstacles to development in the Middle East, and promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment is Goal Three of the World Bank’s Millennium Development Goals. Despite this, the percentage of Egyptian organizations concerned with women’s issues is only 3%, and only 16% of those work to raise women’s awareness. Without pressure from civil society, the Egyptian government can continues to legitimize and perpetuate the problem through discriminatory institutions, laws and regulations. The increase in the number of members of the Muslim Brotherhood in Parliament is having an additional negative effect, as is the worsening economic situation, poverty, ignorance of legal rights, community traditions and low literacy rate.

Especially in this context, ECWR’s work is vital to improving the status of women’s rights in Egypt and the Arab world, and, in doing so, contributing to social and economic development as a whole, strengthening civil society, and aiding progress towards democracy.