The Egyptian Center for Women's Rights is a Cairo based independent non-governmental organization that was established in April 1996. The Center carries out programs and projects at the grassroots level, which aim to enhance the political and human status of women and confront all forms of discrimination against them. Women in Egyptian society, especially in rural and popular areas still face many problems. There is a very clear existing discrimination against women in these impoverished areas.
Inequality is obvious in education, health, employment, and legal issues among others.
It is also very common that poor women are subject to extreme physical and mental violence by their husbands and families. Through its programs the center attempts to help enable women to obtain their rights through legal channels, raise their awareness and familiarize them with their legal rights, offer legal and family counseling and consultancy as well as monitor the violations inflicted on women. The Center's programs reach out to cover all areas of Egypt, urban and rural. ECWR's contribution to enhancing the status of Egyptian women is unique. It is one of the few organizations, which supports women's civil and political rights as well as offers legal aid to those women who cannot afford it.