UN Women Egypt has commended the Egyptian parliament’s approval of amendments advancing more legal rights for Egyptian women who have suffered from sexual harassment.
Through the amendment to the Penal Code, sexual harassment is now classed as a felony, and increases the penalty for this to a minimum of two years imprisonment instead of six months. This is alongside a fine that ranges between EGP 100,000-200,000, compared to a previous fine of EGP 3,000-5,000.
Christine Arab, UN Women Egypt Representative, said, “The newly approved amendment gives greater force to the country’s constitutional commitments to protect women from all forms of violence, and gives greater opportunity for women’s leadership, voice, and participation.”
In support of the implementation of the amendments, UN Women Egypt looks forward to working with national partners, including the National Council for Women (NCW) and its Women’s Complaints Office, in the critical role they play in this regard.
