Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the government of Egypt regarding the progress of investigations in that country conducted into alleged cases of sexual and gender-based violence, including female genital mutilation.

Our Embassy in Cairo continues to monitor alleged cases of sexual and gender-based violence. In 2014 the UK sponsored a delegation of Ministry of Justice officials to meet UK counterparts and discuss issues of gender-based violence. We welcome the provisions for the protection of women’s rights in the new constitution adopted in January 2014, and the June 2014 law criminalising sexual harassment for the first time. The new law has led to several convictions. In addition, on 26 January, an Egyptian doctor was convicted of the manslaughter of a girl who died after an illegal female genital mutilation procedure. We continue to discuss the issue of gender-based violence with the Government of Egypt.