The New Woman Foundation has completed Egypt’s first comprehensive sex education and reproductive health curriculum, developed for students across four educational stages, from kindergarten to secondary, with specialized teacher guides for each level.
The announcement coincided with the launch of the foundation’s new campaign, “Knowledge is Protection,” which aims to normalize reproductive rights education in classrooms.
“We’ve sent full copies to the Ministry of Education and the Cabinet, hoping to begin a formal process to integrate the curriculum into national education,” said Magda Soliman director of the foundation’s reproductive health program, in an interview with Al Manassa.
She noted that after piloting the curriculum this fall, minor revisions were incorporated and final versions were submitted to the minister ten days ago. As of publication, no official response had been received.
Al Manassa contacted Ministry of Education spokesperson Shady Zalata to inquire about the curriculum’s potential adoption amid rising sexual violence in schools. Zalta said he had not reviewed the proposal or been notified of it by the ministry.
Soliman emphasized that the curriculum was not developed in reaction to recent abuse cases. “This is the outcome of work we’ve been doing since 2007—workshops, field research, hundreds of school sessions, and outreach to university students and young people with disabilities.”
Each school visit, she said, revealed deep gaps in knowledge and widespread misinformation around bodily autonomy and protection. “No one tells children what safety means or what to do if something happens—so they stay silent.”
The curriculum uses participatory exercises, illustrations, and stories to build three pillars: medically accurate knowledge, emotional confidence, and practical skills for protection.
One particularly sensitive topic was masturbation. “Some people objected, saying we shouldn’t include it—or keep it only for boys,” Soliman said. “But we insisted. Students ask. Some say they feel addicted and don’t understand why.”
Modules on puberty and female genital mutilation (FGM) also prompted debate, but were ultimately included and tailored to children’s developmental stages.
In September and October, the foundation piloted the curriculum in six public schools in Giza after securing permits. Twenty-five teachers, social workers, and counselors were trained over six days to deliver the material to 120 students and 100 parents.
Meanwhile, alarming data has underscored the urgency of such content. The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights has documented a sharp rise in sexual violence against children. Idraak Foundation recorded 495 gender-based violence cases in the first half of 2025— including 122 incidents of sexual harassment and 62 cases of child sexual abuse.
Soliman underscored the consequences of silence. “Most children who were abused had never been told by their families or teachers how to protect themselves.”
Between July and September of 2025, Egyptians Without Borders Foundation recorded 51 violent incidents in schools, including rape and sexual harassment. Prosecutors are investigating multiple cases in Cairo, Alexandria, and Beheira.
Most recently, a court referred a gardener at Alexandria Language School to Egypt’s Grand Mufti for a possible death sentence after convicting him of sexually assaulting five kindergarten children.
Last week, the Ministry of Education appointed a special committee to manage Nile International Schools following confirmed child abuse by staff.
