More than one in three Egyptian women has experienced physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner in her lifetime, according to a new report released earlier this week by the World Health Organization (WHO).
According to 2023 estimates, 33.5% of Egyptian women aged 15 to 49 who are married or in a relationship report having been victims of domestic violence. This level is above the average for the North Africa–Middle East region, where rates range between 20.8% and 46.9%.
The WHO estimates that around 29% of women aged 15 and over in this region experience at least one form of physical or sexual violence perpetrated by a partner.
Data from the past 12 months also paint a worrying picture: 17.2% of Egyptian women have been victims of intimate partner violence, compared with a regional average of 13.5%. These levels, deemed “alarming” by international experts, reflect a global trend of rising or stagnating domestic violence rates.
Worldwide, nearly one in three women — around 840 million — has been subjected to physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner or to sexual violence by others at some point in her life.
The WHO stresses that progress remains “painfully slow,” with an annual decline of just 0.2% over the past two decades. In the past year alone, 316 million women — 11% of those aged 15 and above — have experienced domestic violence.
For the first time, the report includes estimates on sexual violence committed by someone other than an intimate partner: 263 million women globally are believed to have suffered such violence since the age of 15. The organisation warns that the true scale of the problem remains largely underreported.
The WHO also raises concern over the sharp decline in international funding dedicated to preventing violence against women. In 2022, only 0.2% of global development aid was allocated to this issue — a figure that has fallen even further in 2025. According to the report, this contraction in funding comes “at a time when humanitarian crises, technological advances and socio-economic inequalities are exposing more women to violence.”
Regional disparities remain significant: Oceania records a prevalence of 38% of domestic violence over the past 12 months — more than three times the global average. By contrast, Latin America and the Caribbean (7%), as well as Europe and North America (5%), report the lowest levels.
MK/ak/sf/lb/as/APA