Lubna Zaki – Rapporteur of the National Council for Women, Ismailia Branch, witnessed the inauguration of the Safe Women Unit at Canal University in cooperation with the United Nations Population Fund, under the auspices of Dr. Maya Morsi, President of the National Council for Women.
This came in the presence of Sahar Salem – Head of the channel’s radio station, Dr. Abeer Hejres, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, and members of the Ismailia Branch Council, Dr. Noha Salem and Mona Abbas.
Lubna Zaki, rapporteur of the National Council for Women in Ismailia, said that this comes within the framework of the efforts of the National Council for Women and the United Nations Population Fund, with the support of the Norwegian Embassy, to eliminate all forms of violence against women.
Lubna Zaki added: The “Safe Women’s Units” initiative works to improve the quality of services, allow a rapid response to the needs of women who are subjected to any form of violence, and strengthen the national referral path for women suffering from violence within the framework of the multi-sectoral partnership, which also includes the Ministry of Health and Population.
A medical response unit was opened to deal with abused women at the Suez Canal College of Medicine, in the presence of Ms. Frederica Meyer, representative of the United Nations Population Fund, Dr. Nasser Mandour, President of Suez Canal University, Dr. Ahmed Zaki, Vice President of Suez Canal University, Dr. Ahmed El Sakka, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Chairman of the Board of Directors of University Hospitals, and Dr. Ahmed Anwar, Executive Director of University Hospitals.
Dr. Amal Abdel Moneim, Director General of the Complaints Office at the National Council for Women, Mona El-Ghazaly, Coordinator of the Unit for Combating Violence against Women at the National Council for Women, Dr. Amal Philip, Health Advisor of the Unit for Combating Violence against Women at the National Council for Women, Dr. Abeer Hejres, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, and Sally Zahni, Director of Violence against Women Program at the United Nations Population Fund and Asia Shugairi, Director of the Information Unit at the United Nations Population Fund, Major General Henry Ibrahim – Deputy Governor of the National Network for Public Emergencies.
The units provide medical services, including examination, initial psychological support and counseling at the hands of doctors and nursing staff trained in the needs of medical response in cases of violence against women.
The unit also provides medical reports and provides a confidential file for each case to be able to continue obtaining free service. It also provides legal and social support and referral according to the need for other services in coordination with the National Council for Women and with the support of the United Nations Population Fund, the Norwegian Embassy in Egypt and the KOICA office in Egypt.
It is noteworthy that the National Council for Women has signed cooperation protocols with universities to establish medical response units in university hospitals, which have reached 10 units so far in Kasr Al-Ainy – Demerdash – Mansoura – Assiut – Minya – Beni Suef – Banha – 6th of October – Al-Azhar – Canal University. Suez).
