UNFPA and the National Council for Women (NCW) organized a series of workshops in partnership with several the Anti-Violence against Women Units. The workshops and activities took place in five different university campuses across Egypt as part of the commemoration of International Women’s Day, with the support of USAID.
A two-day camp was hosted by Minya University Unit targeting over 100 university students, from Minya, Assiut and Bani Suef Universities. The camp is the fourth camp organized by UNFPA and NCW, providing interactive techniques for awareness-raising on gender-based violence, and highlighting the role of universities and academic institutions in promoting the protection of women and girls.
The camp also shed light on the role of the Anti-Violence against Women Units in addressing on-campus discrimination against women, sexual harassment, and violence. The camp included sports activities and competitions, through which awareness messages were disseminated among students.
Technical training workshops were organized for the University Units in Damanhour, New Assiut Technology and Sadat Universities, which targeted the coordinators of the Anti-Violence against Women Units in the three universities. The workshops tackled the units’ roles in combating violence against women, and raising their awareness on the health and legal services available to protect and respond to violence against women and girls both within and outside the university. UNFPA provided an overview on the importance of the multi-sectoral coordinated response to gender-based violence, that includes the role of the legal, medical and social services sectors as well as the University Units, as entry points for women subjected to violence.
Another workshop targeted Technological Universities with existing Anti-Violence Units, bringing together representatives from Samanoud, New Cairo, Beni Suef, Delta and East Port Said and tackled technology-facilitated gender-based violence. While in Alexandria University, the University Unit organized another activity, through a medical awareness convoy, bringing together coordinators from other anti-violence units in Alexandria.
There are currently 41 Anti-Violence against Women Units in universities in 27 governorates, established with the direct assistance of UNFPA in partnership with the National Council for Women. The units offer informative sessions, reporting processes and documentation of incidents of violence against women on campus. The units were established under UNFPA’s gender programs with a focus on protection and response to gender-based violence, with the support of the Italian Agency for Cooperation and Development (AICS), the Royal Norwegian Embassy and KOICA.
