Egypt's Women Council provides legal support to harassment victims

Cairo - Egypt’s National Council for Women (NCW) announced Thursday that it will be operating a help center to receive harassment reports from women until the end of Eid al-Fitr.

The head of the council, Maya Morsi, said in a statement that there will be branches operating in all governorates to receive complaints in cooperation with the human rights department of the Interior Ministry.

NCW will be working with an Interior Ministry unit specialized in combating violence against women to ensure swift intervention in cases of harassment, said Morsi.

She added that the lawyers of the NCW’s Complaints Department will accompany police forces during the security campaigns as well as during their response to sexual harassment reports during the Eid.

Security measures will be stepped up during Eid al-Fitr to arrest sexual harassers, and the NCW will provide legal assistance to women who file lawsuits against perpetrators.

Eid al-Fitr (festival of breaking of the fast) is an important religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide that marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan. 

This year, Eid al-Fitr is scheduled to fall on June 25 or 26.