Between the Millstones: the Situation of Migrant and Refugee Women in Egypt

The number of Sudanese nationals seeking refuge in Egypt has reached unprecedented levels, especially after the outbreak of war in Sudan in April 2023, making Sudanese nationals the largest expatriate group in the country. They are followed by Syrians and, in smaller numbers, migrants from South Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Yemen, Somalia and Iraq. At the same time, Egypt is facing an economic crisis that cannot be ignored. This crisis is the result of a variety of factors, including global influences and the burden of foreign debt, which have led to a rapid rise in prices. However, in recent months, there have been numerous cases of hate speech and incitement against migrants and refugees in Egypt, as evidenced by posts on social media, official statements, such as those made by the president and prime minister, and media contributions, especially on talk shows. Asylum seekers and migrants are blamed for the rise in food prices and housing costs and are seen as contributing to the worsening economic crisis.

Author: Shima Samy, head of data analysis unit of Seif Foundation

Please find the report below.

Current projects

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Externalisation of EU Migration Policy

Modern border control no longer takes place at the barrier. Externalisation of the EU's external borders means outsourcing control via pushbacks, pullbacks and visa refusals, and is always associated with the use of force and a lot of money for the respective governments.In future, even asylum applications will be processed in closed centres. Here are our articles on restrictions on freedom of movement and border fortifications.

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Situation of refugees and migrants in Italy

Here you can find our bi-weekly Update on the situation in Italy "Scirocco - News in Brief" and further information on the situation of refugees and migrants in Italy.

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Criminalization of Migration & Solidarity in Italy

In the course of the collective attempt to shut down its borders, the EU uses numerous means of deterrence to prevent people from seeking safety in Europe. The criminalisation of people on the move and those who are in solidarity with them has been a widespread strategy for years. In Italy, too, people are prosecuted under the charge of "aiding and abetting unauthorised entry".

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The Mediterranean: monitoring, research, identification

borderline-europe is involved in two very different MONITORING projects:

  • "Invisible" is about the situation of refugees in Sicily.
  • In ‘Detention, illegalisation and the so-called CEAS reform in southern Italy’, the focus is on the implementation of the European Pact on Migration at the EU's external border. The project started in September 2024.
  • Mem.Med is a cooperation project between many entities that carefully focus on the people who have not made it through the dangerous crossing of the Mediterranean Sea. borderline-europe supports the project through volunteers.
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Central Mediterranean Info

borderline-europe started in March 2019 to put together information about the situation in the Central Mediterranean Sea for internal research reasons. In 2021 we decided to publish parts of the data via Social Media and on our website.

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Between the Millstones: the Situation of Migrant and Refugee Women in Egypt

This report highlights the challenges faced by refugee and migrant women in Egypt. These include discrimination, threats, assault and the lack of resources to enable them to live safely. The research is based on news monitoring of the violations faced by refugee women, as well as documentation and testimonies from migrant women belonging to ethnic minorities in Egypt, activists and lawyers, and journalists reporting on the situation of these people in Egypt.

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