Operation room to follow harassments during Eid al-Fitr: NCW

CAIRO – 22 June 2017: A special operations room to follow sexual harassment complaints During Eid Al-Fitr has been established by The National Council for Women (NCW), according to statements made by the council chairwoman Maya Morsi on Thursday.

“We will be joining the police forces campaigns in the streets during Eid, as we are going to cooperate with the Violence Against Women Unit affiliated to Ministry of Interior.” Morsi added.

Incidents of sexual harassment has been commonplace in recent years during Eid on the streets, crowded malls and cinemas. In June 2016, the Ministry of Interior said in a statement that about 120 women were sexually harassed during the first two days of Eid Al-Fitr.

It was added that most of those cases that were monitored didn’t escalate to any further violent actions due to “excessive security measures taken before Eid.”

Specialized lawyers and law experts were announced to be part of the operation room managed by NCW. “We are going to take serious legal steps against any harassment complaint, as we are fully prepared to give the victims all the psychological support needed,” Morsi said in her statements.

NCW called on women to use the hot lines: “15115 - 01007525600” set up specifically for harassment complaints during Eid.