Using Social Media to Combat Gender Based Violence in Egypt amid COVID-19

• In Event: New Approaches to MENA Research for COVID-19 and Beyond

Abstract

COVID-19-induced restrictions on movement, along with associated economic and social stress, have led to a notable increase in reported gender-based violence (GBV) and intimate partner violence (IPV), particularly in the developing world. Social distancing and quarantine measures also increased the need to disseminate information on risks and available support. Building on recent studies on the role of edutainment and media saturation, we partnered with an Egyptian women’s rights non-governmental organization to examine an intervention delivered via traditional and social media that are widely used in the Egyptian context and even more critical amid the disruptions of COVID-19. Conducted amid a social movement in Egypt focused on addressing GBV, we measure the degree to which this information shifted attitudes toward GBV and IPV and hypothetical and reported behaviors around responses to violence.

Authors

• ELIZABETH Parker-Magyar, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

• Fotini Christia, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

• Horacio Alejandro Larreguy, Harvard University

• Norhan Muhab