The National Council for Women (NCW) and UNFPA inaugurated the first Safe Women’s Clinic in cooperation with the Ministry of Health and Population and the General Secretariat of Mental Health on Monday April 18, 2022, with the support of the Norwegian Embassy. 

The clinic was inaugurated at the Ahalina medical center in Cairo, serving a large population in the area of greater Cairo. This clinic is a pilot model bringing together the expertise of all stakeholders in combatting violence against women and in offering specialized medical care under the Primary Health Care Department of the Ministry of Health and Population. 

Safe Women's Clinics offer comprehensive services for women subjected to violence.

For the upcoming period, UNFPA and the National Council for Women are partnering with the Ministry of Health and Population to equip and establish 20 Safe Women’s Clinics under the Ministry, building on their experience with operating eight medical response clinics since December 2020. The facilities will serve local communities at the village and district level, aiming to provide accessibility to women and girls in different governorates. 

In preparation for the launch of the first Safe Women’s Clinics, UNFPA and the National Council for Women held training workshops for doctors and nurses on case management on violence against women, to strengthen their knowledge on the most prevalent forms of violence against women, the available services, the relevant legislation, the updated medical and clinical procedures and the referral mechanism to the legal and social services under NCW.

The trainings also addressed the psychological assessment of women subjected to violence, the impact of violence on women and how to best communicate with survivors, moderated by the General Secretariat of Mental Health.

According to Dr. Jihane, Obstetrician and Gynecologist at the Ahalina center, doctors and nurses in the different clinics at the center were trained on addressing cases of violence. 

“If doctors notice any marks on a patients’ body indicating violence, they inform her that there is a specialized clinic at the center and can refer her here should she wish,” she said. 

Dr. Amal Philip, Health Expert at the Anti-Violence against Women Coordination Unit at the National Council for Women, expressed her deep appreciation for the committment of the Ministry of Health and Population to address violence against women. During the inauguration, she briefed attendees on the close coordination between the Ahalina Safe Women’s Clinic and the Ain Shams Safe Women’s Clinic, which offers advanced medical services. This allows the Ahalina clinic to refer cases that require immediate surgery directly to the University Hospital.  

The first Safe Women’s Clinic was inaugurated at the Qasr al-Ainy Hospital in December 2020, offering comprehensive services for women subjected to violence. Since then, seven more clinics were inaugurated at the Mansoura, Ain Shams, Assiut, Benha, Beni Suef, Minya and 6th of October university hospitals.