The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), in collaboration with the National Council for Women (NCW) and several Anti-Violence against Women Units, organized workshops and activities to raise awareness about gender-based violence, according to UNFPA official website 

These events took place in five different university campuses across Egypt as part of the commemoration of International Women’s Day. USAID, a US government agency that provides development assistance worldwide, supported the activities.

One of the highlights of the events was a two-day camp hosted by the Minya University Unit. More than 100 university students from Minya, Assiut, and Bani Suef attended the camp, which was the fourth event organized by UNFPA and NCW to promote the protection of women and girls.

The camp provided a platform for interactive techniques for awareness-raising on gender-based violence. The participants engaged in various activities and discussions highlighting the role of universities and academic institutions in fighting gender-based violence. The event also emphasized the need for community involvement, particularly among young people, to curb gender-based violence.

Overall, the workshops and activities were a resounding success, and it is hoped that they will contribute significantly to reducing gender-based violence in Egypt.

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.

Various technical training workshops were organized by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), in partnership with the National Council for Women, for University Units located in different governorates of Egypt. These workshops aimed to educate and train coordinators of the Anti-Violence against Women Units in universities, to help them understand their roles in combating violence against women. The workshops also provided information about the legal and health services available to protect and respond to violence against women and girls, both within and outside the university.

One of the workshops focused on the importance of multi-sectoral coordinated response to gender-based violence. The participants were provided with an overview of the role played by legal, medical, and social services sectors, as well as the University Units, as entry points for women subjected to violence.

Another workshop was specifically targeted at Technological Universities that already had Anti-Violence Units. Representatives from Samanoud, New Cairo, Beni Suef, Delta, and East Port Said participated in this workshop, where they were provided with information on technology-facilitated gender-based violence.

The University Unit at Alexandria University organized a medical awareness convoy, which brought together coordinators from other anti-violence units in Alexandria.

Currently, there are 41 Anti-Violence against Women Units in universities located in 27 governorates, established with the direct assistance of UNFPA in partnership with the National Council for Women. These units offer informative sessions, reporting processes, and documentation of incidents of violence against women on campus. UNFPA’s gender programs, with a focus on protection and response to gender-based violence, have been supported by the Italian Agency for Cooperation and Development (AICS), the Royal Norwegian Embassy, and KOICA.