UNFPA and the National Council for Women (NCW) held the first round of an interactive training program targeting female members of the Public Prosecution in June on handling cases of violence against women.

The two-day training took place in Cairo and is designed to provide female members of the Public Prosecution Office with a comprehensive package that includes communication skills, decision-making skills, investigative skills and a deeper understanding on the Egyptian legal context and their ability to engage with women subjected to forms of violence.

The workshop introduced participants to the elements of the National Strategy to Combat Violence against Women (2015-2020), and the National Women’s Empowerment Strategy. These workshops are also a gateway to ensure that members of the Prosecution are informed on the national referral mechanism for basic services offered in the medical, legal and social sectors for survivors of violence. 

The training workshop brought together female members of the Public Prosecution Office and lawyers of NCW’s complaints office representing the governorates of Aswan, Luxor, Qena and the Red Sea. UNFPA and NCW are planning the second round of this interactive training program to take place before the end of June 2021 targeting other governorates in upcoming sessions.

In 2019, the National Council for Women officially adopted the referral pathway for women and girls subjected to violence in the legal, medical and social sectors and the development of technical guidelines to put in place adequate services for VAW victims in the three sectors.