Asmaa Fathi

Cairo — In informal and impoverished areas, violence against women intensifies due to the interplay of complex economic, social, and cultural factors. Poverty, the absence of basic services, and deteriorating infrastructure create fragile environments that increase pressure on families, making women more vulnerable to domestic and societal violence.

These stressful environments often render women’s voices unheard and limit their ability to seek help or access supportive resources.

One of the main challenges women face in these areas is the burden of balancing demanding roles both inside and outside the home, in the total absence of institutional protection. In places like the South Ma‘sara area in Egypt’s capital, Cairo, it is evident that overcrowding, a lack of community oversight, and weak awareness have all contributed to the spread of various forms of violence — psychological, physical, and economic. Furthermore, limited awareness of legal rights reinforces a culture of silence and fear.

The shortage of social services — such as counseling centers, shelters, and economic empowerment programs — traps women in a cycle of violence with no realistic means of escape. In this reality, institutional intervention, expanded awareness programs, and strengthening the role of civil society in areas such as South Ma‘sara become essential to protect women, break inherited patterns of violence, and open real paths toward safer and more dignified lives.

Supporting and Empowering Women

Many organizations work to support women in marginalized areas. Lawyer Ne‘ma Ibrahim, head of the legal support unit at the Bahari Ma‘sara Association in Helwan, explains:

“Our association provides several programs to support and empower women. We have a legal assistance unit, a listening unit, a child care unit, and a workshop where women work and produce various handcrafted items.”

The services also include a daycare for children under five years old:

“Women who come for vocational training or activities — especially mothers — struggle because they often have no place to leave their children, so we had to find solutions.”

 

She believes that supporting and economically empowering women is key to solving many of the problems they face, foremost among them gender-based violence.

 

Despite the area being largely low-income, the demand for services is high:

“We rely on our partnerships in this area and nearby communities and offer multiple vocational training programs. We’ve trained women in producing food items, candle-making, and handmade skincare products that require no chemical processes.”

 

Many women, she adds, undergo training and later launch their own small businesses to secure stable income for their families. Many of these projects are home-based, saving effort, costs, and reducing risks — especially related to transportation or leaving children unattended:

“We design programs that truly fit the nature of the area and women’s capacities, based on the needs we observe directly.”

The Triangle of Danger

Regarding how the association deals with husbands who oppose women’s participation, Ibrahim says:

“This refusal is common. Many men believe that economically empowering women encourages them to resist unfair burdens or abusive behaviors. We recognized this early and addressed it through awareness campaigns, involving husbands directly, and explaining that women’s economic empowerment actually supports family stability.”

One of their solutions was to engage men in awareness sessions on violence and its harmful effects on families:

“Real change requires continuous awareness efforts, especially in such complex environments with intersecting challenges. The support we provide is essential and cannot be overlooked.”

She explains that violations against women occur everywhere, but the informal nature of these areas — shaped by the “danger triangle” of poverty, illness, and illiteracy — makes the situation more complicated, increasing the rates of abuse and harm:

“Because economic conditions are extremely harsh and job opportunities for women and men are scarce, violence has risen significantly. Relationships have deteriorated, and school dropout rates have increased as a consequence of these harsh living conditions.”

An Interconnected System of Factors

Ibrahim notes that physical violence is one of the most common forms of abuse women face, followed by psychological and educational forms of violence:

“In our listening unit, we often encounter cases of beatings, humiliation, deprivation of children, and lack of financial support. In the legal support unit, I receive cases referred from the listening unit for advice or legal action — and it’s striking how common severe physical abuse is. The sad part is that many women tolerate such abuse for years because they prefer enduring violence over leaving their families or pursuing legal remedies.”

It becomes clear that violence against women across Egypt is not merely the result of individual misconduct, but the product of an intertwined system of economic, social, and cultural factors that create fertile ground for its continuation:

“In places like South Ma‘sara, poverty intersects with weak services and lack of legal awareness, pushing women into cycles of violence that are difficult to break without genuine, effective support.”

This reality underscores the importance of comprehensive policies combining economic empowerment, safe shelters, strong community engagement, awareness programs, and the activation of deterrent legal measures.

“Addressing this reality requires not only acknowledging it, but working seriously to change it — ensuring that every woman lives with dignity, safety, and respect.