Cairo, Egypt – The Ministry of Justice and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) today advanced their partnership to strengthen Egypt's justice system to serve Egyptian families particularly women. In an official ceremony, Minister of Justice H.E. Adnan El-Fangary and UNDP Resident Representative in Egypt Alessandro Fracassetti signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and launched a report assessing gender and human rights perspectives within Egypt's Legal Aid and Dispute Settlement Offices.

The MOU marks a new phase of cooperation, building on a decade of successful collaboration between UNDP and the ministry. This renewed commitment solidifies the joint dedication to promoting equitable access to justice, particularly for vulnerable populations. The released report, developed through this partnership, provides a comprehensive analysis of achievements, identifies critical gaps, and offers actionable recommendations for strengthening the justice system’s accessibility and fairness.

The report reveals that women comprised a significant 70% of beneficiaries accessing Legal Aid Offices between 2017 and 2023, highlighting the important and valuable role these offices play in empowering women and promoting gender equality. This underscores the significant impact of the long-standing partnership between UNDP and the Ministry of Justice, which has already seen the establishment of 27 Legal Aid Offices and upgrades to 27 Dispute Settlement Offices since 2008.

From his side, H.E. Minister of Justice, Counselor Adnan El-Fangary, praised the fruitful cooperation with UNDP on the Family Legal Aid Offices, emphasizing that this partnership will further uphold the values of justice and fairness. He affirmed the state’s commitment to protecting and supporting families, recognizing them as the cornerstone of society in raising responsible citizens. He added, “The new MOU contributes to resolving issues and settling disputes outside the courts, paving the way for the development of Legal Aid Offices in terms of infrastructure, digitization, and staff training.”

"Our longstanding collaboration with the Ministry of Justice has yielded impressive results, including the establishment of valuable legal aid, dispute resolution infrastructure, and capacity building initiatives,” said Alessandro Fracasetti, UNDP Resident Representative in Egypt. “The MOU we sign today marks a new phase in this partnership, reinforcing our commitment to supporting the Ministry of Justice, particularly through the expansion of Legal Aid and Dispute Settlement Offices, as well as advancing digitalization, strengthening digital infrastructure, and supporting the Economic Courts to ensure more efficient and accessible judicial services.”

The signing of this MOU and the launch of the report coincide with the global 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence as well as the Human Rights Day, underscoring our commitment to advancing legal rights for all, with a particular focus on women and equitable access to justice for all.

For more information, please contact:

UNDP | Fatma Elzahraa Yassin, UNDP Egypt, Communication Lead, fatma.yassin@undp.org