EWL pushes for strong condemnation of sexual violence against women in Egypt and calls for steps to be taken by the EU to ensure that women’s rights and dignity are protected
[Brussels 05 July] Watching as the numbers of women attacked and violated in the centre of Egyptian public space increased, the European Women’s Lobby wrote to Commissioner Reading and High Representative Catherine Ashton to urge the European Union, as an international actor, to support us in condemning this extremely serious matter.
“RE: Strong condemnation of sexual violence against women in Egypt and steps to be taken by the EU
Brussels, 5 July 2013
Your Excellences,
We are writing to you on behalf of the 2000 member organisations of the European Women’s Lobby all across Europe, while we are all witnessing with horror the news about the systematic sexual violence against women demonstrators taking place in Egypt at this very moment.
Almost a hundred cases of rape were reported on Tahrir Square yesterday only, with perpetrators of these crimes enjoying complete impunity, women victims being unable to be protected or claim justice and women demonstrators being threatened and silenced.
The European Union cannot stay silent and impassive in front of such crimes. We therefore ask you, in solidarity with the women of Egypt, to be vocal in denouncing these systematic violations of women’s human rights. We also request that concrete steps are taken, in order to ensure that European Programmes benefitting Egypt support the protection of women’s rights and dignity and to ensure that financial and other means are used through the services of the Commission and diplomatic missions to combat and prevent these crimes.
Knowing your commitment to protecting women’s rights and ending violence against women, we very much hope that we can count on your support on this extremely serious matter.
Sincerely,
Viviane Teitelbaum, EWL President and Cécile Gréboval, EWL Secretary-General
