The EU is aware of the situation of women in Egypt and the EU Delegation in Cairo is in regular contact with local Civil Society Organisations and closely monitors reported cases of violence against women.

The EU condemns all forms of violence against women and other vulnerable groups and the HR/VP raises the issue regularly in public statements as with her Egyptian counterparts. Even more so in light of the recent developments in the country, the EU expects that the new Egyptian interim administration will respect the Human rights commitments, including the rights for women, undertaken under the Association Agreement concluded with Egypt.

EUSR for Human Rights Lambrinidis conducted his fifth visit to Egypt in February 2014, and obtained by the Ministers of Interior and Justice and by the Public Prosecutor the commitment ‘that they would investigate all allegations of police abuse included in the future Report of the Fact-finding Commission’.

In the 2013 Progress to the implementation of the EU Neighbourhood Policy in Egypt, the EU invites Egypt to, inter alia, ‘ensure the protection of women’s rights and gender equality’, ‘ completely halt the use of military courts to judge civilians" and " ensure that investigations on the many cases of violence, including sexual abuse, are carried out and that the perpetrators are promptly brought to justice’.

The EU Delegation in Egypt is financing 9 CSOs projects on gender, for a total amount of EUR 3.3 million.

In the framework of the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument, the EU is also funding the 2012-2016 UN program ‘Spring forward for women’, (EUR 7 million out of 8.2).

Lastly, women's rights are a key priority in the Human Rights Country Strategy for Egypt.

OJ C 355, 08/10/2014