Statement issued by the Coalition of Egyptian Feminist Organizations in solidarity with “Nazra” for Feminist Studies

The signatories of the statement strongly condemned the vexations and violations practiced against “Nazra” for Feminist Studies culminating with the convocation of its founder and director,  Mozn Hassan, as held guilty under case Number 171/2011.  It also mentioned that Hassan is the first  woman activist charged in this trial publicly known as “Civil Society Organizations and foreign funding”.

Actually, “Nazra” had announced on March 20 2016 that it has been officially notified of being submitted to interrogation in the above mentioned case.  Three members of the working team were summoned on March 22, followed by the formal convocation of Hassan as accused of culpability.

Signatories of the statement expressed their full solidarity with Hassan and “Nazra”, an organization established in 2007, registered under the Ministry of Social Solidarity, and efficiently acting to mainstream gender issues and women’s rights at the social level through the interaction between the social and political contexts impacting women’s lives.

The aspiration of “Nazra” was always the reinforcement of the Egyptian feminist movement in order to improve its capacity of dealing with the social and political factors impeding women’s participation in those two fields of the public life.  An indicative example is the efforts of “Nazra” in combating sexual violence against women in the context of its feminist commitment to support women’s right to a secure public sphere.

“Nazra” contributed also actively in the contemporary social and political debates in order to participate in the production and dissemination of feminist knowledge and discourse.

Signatories expressed the urgent request of stopping retaliation against human rights CSOs, especially organizations concerned with women’s rights as they considered these violations as a direct threat to the Egyptian feminist movement.

Signatories

1. “Ommi” (My Mother) for Rights and Development
2. “Bint El Ard” (Daughter of the Earth) Association
3. “Salma” (Name signifying Safe) for Women’s Development
4. The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights
5. “El Nadim” (Name signifying the companion) Center for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence
6. The Forum of Women’s Development
7. “AswatWaeda” (Promising Voices) Foundation for Human Rights and Participatory Development
8. Cairo Center for Development and Law
9. The New Woman Foundation
10. The Women and Memory Foundation
11. The Egyptian Association for Family Development
12. The Center of Egyptian Women Legal Aid