Nazra for Feminist Studies

With this paper, Nazra for Feminist Studies offers a feminist theoretical attempt to understand the rise of sexual violence against women over the past few months.   We believe that it is important to raise this issue so that different political actors, even well intentioned ones, do not exploit women’s concerns. We also wish to contribute to a debate that is currently underway on this sensitive issue based on our past experiences in combating violence against women.

‘We Will Take Her and Then One by One, Guys’

On 13 December, Sudanese teacher and activist Jalila Khamis Koko was officially charged on five criminal counts. She faces the death penalty. The Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition (WHRD IC) condemns the charges and prolonged detention of teacher and activist Jalila Khamis Koko in Sudan.

The undersigned organizations are deeply concerned about the potential for rigging during or after the referendum on the proposed draft constitution, especially after the press conference convened today by the National Council for Human Rights (NCHR), at which it was announced that organizations seeking to monitor the vote must obtain authorization from the Council. The undersigned groups further reject the NCHR as a custodian over civil society organizations.

Repetition of Black Wednesday Events with Different Players and Offenders

The undersigned feminist and human rights organizations express deep concern due to the escalation of state policies that reinforce the state of impunity and which refrain from protecting citizens and securing peaceful assemblies. The organizations also condemn the perpetuation of the approach of groups that support the regime in targeting female activists and excluding women from the public sphere through direct incitement and aggression.

The undersigned Egyptian human rights organizations express their grave concern regarding the recent developments that are rapidly pushing Egypt toward the brink of civil war, the first signs of which were seen in the street battles and exchanges of violence which occurred yesterday in the area surrounding the presidential palace in Cairo and in a number of other governorates.  These developments took place when the Muslim Brotherhood incited its supporters to attack the demonstrators who were conducting a peaceful sit-in in front of the presidential palace

Nazra for Feminist Studies issued a checklist for the Egyptian government today that provides steps as to how to achieve justice for women human rights defenders (WHRDs) as per international human rights standards.