Shadow report on Egypt’s 18th–19th periodic reports to the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights

1. Persistent legal discrimination

Despite constitutional guarantees, personal status and inheritance laws favour men in marriage, divorce, custody, and property. Christian women face dual discrimination due to lack of unified family law.

• Recommendation: Harmonise all laws with constitutional equality guarantees and repeal discriminatory family law provisions.

2. Pervasive gender-based violence

Egypt lacks a comprehensive law on violence against women and does not criminalise marital rape. Article 60 of the Penal Code is still interpreted to permit “discipline” by husbands. GBV services are underfunded and mistrusted.

• Recommendation: Criminalise marital rape and adopt a survivor-centred domestic violence law. Improve access to shelters and psychosocial support.

3. Unchecked child marriage and polygamy

Despite legal marriage age of 18, ‘urfi’ informal marriages remain common. Polygamy is legal and obedience laws penalise women for leaving abusive marriages.

• Recommendation: Enforce minimum marriage age, prohibit polygamy, and repeal obedience laws.

4. SRHR and abortion access denied

Abortion is criminalised even in cases of rape. There is no comprehensive sexuality education, and adolescent girls face stigma and confidentiality breaches in SRHR services.

• Recommendation: Reform abortion laws to align with international standards, expand youth-friendly SRHR, and integrate age-appropriate, rights-based sexuality education.

5. Economic inequality

Women represent only 15% of the labour force, often in underpaid sectors. Joint marital property is not legally recognised, and inheritance laws exclude women from land rights.

• Recommendation: Enforce pay equity, recognise joint marital property, and expand economic protections for rural and working-class women.

6. Vulnerability of marginalised women

Refugee women face legal exclusion and poor access to services. Women with disabilities and elderly women lack inclusive protections despite existing laws.

• Recommendation: Establish a gender-sensitive refugee protection framework and enforce anti-discrimination laws for women with disabilities.

7. Lack of political protection for women HRDs

Women human rights defenders operate under intimidation and shrinking civic space, hindering public participation.

• Recommendation: Adopt and enforce protection mechanisms for WHRDs in line with international standards.