In Egypt, the justice sector faces challenges in developing the required capacities to promote accountability and secure equal access to justice for citizens. Vulnerable groups including children, youth, and women are particularly marginalised; due to several barriers such as complicated administrative and litigation procedures, economic constraints and social considerations and most importantly the poor governance of the justice system.

The juvenile justice system is one avenue, where there is both a demonstrated need for engagement and governmental acceptance from the Egyptian side to learn and adapt elements of good governance principles and come closer to the international standards.  

Direct at least 4 institutions involved in making the justice system more child-friendly, including the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood (NCCM), Ministry of Justice (MoJ), Ministry of social solidarity (MoSS), the General Prosecutor (GP), in addition to 20 civil society organisations (CSOs).

Indirect: Children (under 18 years old)[1] in contact with the law (16,500 in 2017) and the wider young Egyptian population, estimated by 40 million, that could potentially be engaged with the justice system.

[1]  Law No. 126 of 2008 on Child Rights: Article 2 of the Law defines a “child” as a person under the age of eighteen.

Outcome 1:  Child-justice stakeholders are capacitated to better protect children in contact with the justice system

Outcome 2: Governance and coordination mechanisms among key child justice stakeholders are improved

Expected results:  

-    Key Egyptian stakeholders have improved skills to deal with children in a friendlier manner in their daily activities; 

-    Key Egyptian stakeholders have increased knowledge of how to carry out successful reforms based on comparative peer-to-peer experience;

-    Key Egyptian stakeholders have access to a network of practitioners dedicated to child  protection and justice;

-    Political awareness and will to favour a child-friendly approach in Egypt through involvement of high-level officials.

D1 Project: ESSE - Enhancing state society engagement

Relevant actors: Terre des Hommes, UNICEF