Engy Ghozlan facts for kids

Engy Ayman Ghozlan (Arabic: إنجي أيمن غزلان ; born 1985) is an Egyptian social activist and journalist. She is well-known for her important work in highlighting and fighting against the problem of harassment faced by women in Egypt. Since 2005, she has been a leader in efforts to make streets safer for women. Many people see her as the main "voice and face" of this movement in Egypt.

Engy Ghozlan also helped start HarassMap in 2010. This is a volunteer group that uses technology to report incidents of harassment. It helps people share information about where and when harassment happens. HarassMap started with the Egyptian Center for Women's Rights (ECWR), but Engy and her co-founder, Rebecca Chiao, later made it an independent organization.

Who is Engy Ghozlan?

Early Life and Education

Engy Ghozlan was born in Cairo, Egypt, in 1985. She studied at Cairo University and earned a degree in mass communication in 2007. She decided to take action against harassment after experiencing it herself. She then joined the Egyptian Center for Women's Rights, an organization that was working to stop harassment against women.

Fighting for Women's Safety

In 2005, the Egyptian Center for Women's Rights (ECWR) conducted a study to understand how big the problem of harassment was. They surveyed 2,800 women in Cairo and other parts of Egypt. The study showed that many women (33%) faced harassment daily but did not report it. This was often because they worried about how society might judge them. The survey also found that some women even blamed themselves for what happened. Harassment was described as "inappropriate touching" or "verbal taunts." Another survey of men showed that many admitted to harassing women regularly.

Raising Awareness

In 2008, Engy Ghozlan led a big media campaign called "Making Egypt's Streets Safe for All." She gave many interviews on TV, online, and in newspapers. Her goal was to help the public understand what harassment truly means, especially since Egypt did not have a clear legal definition for it. She is known for being very direct and honest. For example, when asked about official numbers of attacks on women, she suggested the real number was much higher because most incidents are not reported.

Role in the Egyptian Revolution

The "Day of Revolt", 25 January 2011, at Tahrir Square

Engy Ghozlan was an active participant in the Egyptian Revolution of 2011 at Tahrir Square in Cairo. This event, inspired by social media, brought together many people from all over Egypt, including a large number of women. They protested to bring about change in the country. Engy observed that during the early days of the protests, everyone worked together. However, after the former president left office, some women at Tahrir Square faced harassment from groups of men. These men told the women to "go home where they belong." Because of these incidents, Engy believes that even with political changes, some social problems in Egypt still need to be addressed. She shared with BBC News that about 100 people tried to force them out of Tahrir Square, saying, "In the revolution we were all united... but our social behaviour hasn't changed." She reported that there were 19 group attacks on women at Tahrir Square on January 25, 2011.

Continuing Her Work

Engy Ghozlan also works with the German International Cooperation on a project that promotes women's rights. She collaborates with 11 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that are part of the Network for Women's Rights Organizations. Their work focuses on legal reforms and addressing harassment against women. She continues to be involved with HarassMap, especially with its community outreach programs. She is also a member of several groups of young women activists in Egypt.

See also

In Spanish: Engy Ghozlan para niños