Mozn Hassan

Mozn Hassan (she/her/hers) is co-founder of Nazra for Feminist Studies in Egypt, and a board member of Global Fund for Women. Mozn’s work focuses on the political, social, and economic status of women in Egypt. Together with the Women Political Participation Academy Program, Nazra brought a feminist point of view into unions, political movements, political parties and local administrations, and a more powerful voice for female candidates within these organizations.  

Through Nazra and on her own, Mozn documented the human rights violations taking place in Tahrir Square during the Egyptian Revolution in 2011. She worked with local organizations to protect the rights of women who experienced violence in Tahrir Square and coordinated efforts to provide women with medical, psychological and legal support. After the revolution, Nazra started a hotline for women survivors of sexual assault. In all the cases that the members of Nazra followed, they ensured the documentation of human rights violations, and defended women’s rights, regardless of any political views.  

Following the revolution, she took part in a coalition of women’s organizations and played a major role in the inclusion of women’s rights in the Egyptian Constitution. In 2015 she was one of the pioneers in the establishment of a coalition of civil society organizations called the ‘Defenders of Women’s Rights in the Middle East and North Africa.’ 

When the oppression on civil society organizations intensified in 2011, an investigation against Mozn was launched on the pretext that Nazra had illegally accepted foreign funding. In 2016 she was prevented from traveling to take part in an international meeting and a travel ban was imposed upon her. Because of the restriction of its funds, Nazra was forced to close its office. Despite all obstacles, she continues to work on the documentation of sexual violence against women and violation of women’s rights and make them visible. She works courageously to stop the systematic sexual abuse and attacks aimed at excluding women from the public sphere.  

Mozn received her bachelor’s degree in Archaeology at the University of Alexandria, and went on to earn her Master’s in Civil Society and Human Rights at the University of Cairo and the American University of Cairo.