The Egyptian Centre for Women's Rights (ECWR) unveiled a revised draft law on Sunday to address violence against women and girls, during the closing conference of its "Together to Combat Violence Against Women" project.
Organizers said the new legislation aims to strengthen protections and offer broader legal remedies for survivors of gender-based violence.
The proposal follows years of collaboration among five civil society organizations: the Cairo Foundation for Development and Law, the Egyptian Female Lawyers Foundation for Women's Rights, the Tadwein Gender Research Centre, the Nadim Center for the Management and Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence, and ECWR itself.
A coalition of six women's groups initially drafted a version of the law in 2017, submitting it to Parliament through MP Nadia Henry in 2018 and again via MP Nashwa El-Deeb in 2022.
The latest draft introduces expanded protections, including legal safeguards for victims, witnesses and complainants, and streamlined reporting and litigation procedures.
“Our goal is a unified law that gathers all forms of violence against women, which are currently scattered across various legislations,” said Seham Ali, executive director of women’s programs at ECWR.
The draft law is organized into four sections: general provisions and definitions; digital and sexual crimes; judicial procedures and investigations; and protection measures. It comprises a total of 81 articles.
A notable addition is a full chapter addressing digital violence and online blackmail.
“These crimes are on the rise,” Ali sid. “Some husbands now blackmail their wives online to force them to drop divorce cases or give up their rights.”
The proposal also calls for the creation of a state-funded “victims’ support fund” to offer reparations and psychological and social assistance to survivors.
Tarek Khater, a lawyer and member of the law’s drafting committee, said the proposal defines new forms of violence absent from the Penal Code.
“It criminalizes child marriage and virginity tests, which humiliate women and girls during investigations and have no medical necessity,” he said.
Khater criticized Egypt’s Penal Code for failing to adequately criminalize rape, describing it as “a 95-year-old law that cannot protect women against the most heinous crime.”
Under the draft law, rape would carry a mandatory life sentence. The definition of rape would also be expanded to include vaginal, anal or oral penetration, whether by body parts or objects, rather than only vaginal penetration.
“This narrow definition is a crime against women and against society,” Khater said.
He further pointed out that the current law defines rape too narrowly, noting that it requires direct vaginal penetration to qualify as a crime.
The draft also seeks to ease procedural barriers to reporting violence. Special units within Public Prosecution offices would be established to receive complaints, rather than relying solely on police stations.
Khater acknowledged that resistance is expected, particularly regarding the criminalization of marital rape.
“The draft treats rape the same, whether committed by a husband or a stranger,” he said. “But it differentiates penalties: a fine for husbands, life imprisonment for others.”
Heba Adel, chair of the Egyptian Female Lawyers Foundation, said the draft empowers courts to issue protection orders to prevent violence before it occurs.
The legislation also abolishes statutes of limitations for crimes such as female genital mutilation (FGM).
“A girl subjected to FGM as a child could report it and seek justice once she reaches adulthood,” Adel said.
Adel stressed that tougher penalties are not always the most effective solution.
“Restorative justice and balanced sanctions are more likely to gain societal acceptance,” she said. “Demanding harsher sentences often makes it harder to prove crimes.”
According to 2023 statistics, nearly 8 million women and girls experience violence annually in Egypt.
