The movement of people from the rural south to the more industrialized north has long characterized migration in Egypt. This internal migration pattern, driven by economic hardship, has disproportionately affected women and children, especially those from Upper Egypt. The Women’s and Children’s Rights Association in Assiut (WCRA) has emerged as a vital support system for these vulnerable groups, providing technical and legal assistance to help them navigate the social, economic, and environmental challenges they face in internal migration.
A Crisis of Opportunity
The migration from southern Egypt to northern cities like Cairo and Alexandria has created a divide between the rural and urban populations. For many in Upper Egypt, limited access to education, employment, and essential services fuels the desire to migrate for a better life. This trend often leaves women and children, already vulnerable due to gender disparities, facing increased isolation and poverty when they arrive in urban areas without a support system.
Recognizing these challenges, WCRA has focused on creating opportunities for women and youth in Upper Egypt, empowering them to remain in their communities rather than migrate north. Through initiatives aimed at economic empowerment, the association provides local employment opportunities, especially for women and girls. These efforts include skill development, access to microfinance, and capacity-building programs that ensure women are equipped to start small businesses and become financially independent.
Empowering Women Across Borders.
WCRA’s support extends beyond the borders of Egypt. The association also aims to provide technical and legal support to women and children from other countries, including Palestine. Many of these women and children are arriving in Egypt seeking refuge from conflict, only to find themselves in precarious situations. WCRA aims to offer essential resources, from legal aid to social services, ensuring these vulnerable populations are not left behind.
Tackling Migration Through Empowerment
One of WCRA’s most impactful initiatives targets the issue of irregular migration—particularly the internal migration from Upper Egypt—by providing viable alternatives in local communities. Their ongoing project, funded by the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (MSMEDA), focuses on economic and environmental opportunities for youth, especially women. This project tackles the root causes of migration by offering employment in environmental hygiene campaigns and raising awareness about health and environmental issues. By creating 55 job opportunities for youth and targeting 2,500 families with environmental awareness campaigns, WCRA helps to reduce the push factors of migration. Instead of relocating to overcrowded cities in the north, these young people are able to contribute to the improvement of their communities in the south, fostering a sense of belonging and stability.
Supporting Vulnerable Women and Children
WCRA’s work is centred on empowering women and children, especially those in marginalized communities. Through initiatives such as the Empowerment of Disabled Women through Technology project, funded by the Finnish Embassy, WCRA helps women with disabilities gain the skills needed to achieve financial independence. This project targets 110 women and girls in Assiut, providing them with ICT training and supporting them in starting small businesses from their homes.
By promoting financial independence for women and girls with disabilities, WCRA ensures that even the most marginalized groups are not left behind in Egypt’s development. This approach is critical in a region where women face multiple layers of discrimination, particularly in rural areas where access to education and economic opportunities remains limited.
Empowering Egyptian Women: A Catalyst for Change
WCRA’s work in empowering women goes beyond addressing immediate needs; it seeks to create long-term, sustainable change. Whether supporting women in starting businesses, advocating for their rights, or providing legal aid, the association is committed to transforming women’s lives across Egypt. By focusing on gender equality and eliminating violence against women, WCRA is not only uplifting individuals but also contributing to broader societal change.
Through their Women Economic Empowerment in Upper Egypt project, WCRA has helped over 300 women start their own businesses, raising the economic status of families and communities in the process. These initiatives highlight the power of economic empowerment as a tool for social change, enabling women to become active participants in their communities and decision-making processes.
A Global Impact
WCRA’s efforts to empower women and children in Egypt and beyond testify to the organization’s vision of equality and human rights for all. By addressing the challenges of internal migration and the needs of vulnerable groups from other countries, WCRA is fostering a more inclusive, equitable future.
Through their work, WCRA is not only changing lives in Egypt but is also contributing to global efforts to empower women and children, reduce migration pressures, and create more resilient communities. As the world continues to face challenges such as migration, conflict, and inequality, organizations like WCRA serve as a beacon of hope and a model for how local action can have a global impact.
Follow for more:
Website: www.wcra-eg.org
Email: WRA.1399@gmail.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/jujoKvSyi4KubjP5/
Chairperson: Omima Sawy Email: omima_sawy@yahoo.com
