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She recruited a core group of trusted individuals to help her build the movement's foundations and recruit the volunteers. She started by purchasing 200 uniforms comprising construction helmets and neon vests and soon enough the group managed to recruit the needed volunteers. The volunteers' uniforms
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has named her as a friend and collaborator on her foundation's website. In 2014, Soraya became one of the nonprofit organization's trustees promoting creative learning through special after-school programs for disadvantaged youngsters in Egypt and other countries. Between 2008 and 2012, she served
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and the various efforts by civilians to combat these assaults. “We’re putting up a fight, we’re not afraid,” she said. “When they tried to silence
Egyptian women, we became even more defiant.” Following her speech, she participated in a panel discussion entitled "women under threat” that also
172:. The episode was fully dedicated to tackling the issue of sexual harassment of women in Egypt and utilized humor and satire to dispel many of the misconceptions about the topic, especially those that place the blame on women. In May 2013, Soraya gave a speech on
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and its surroundings to protect the women and identify areas where assaults could occur. Second, the group engaged with the mobs to free women being assaulted and take them to ambulances stationed outside the square.
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and other
Egyptian activists closely followed the Tahrir Bodyguard team during their preparations and as they patrolled the vicinity of Tahrir Square. In March 2013, Soraya appeared alongside
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The
Finnish Government granted her its Hän Honor for Gender Equality for her work combatting gender-based violence and promoting gender equality in December 2019.
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to join mass protests, Soraya Bahgat decided to launch Tahrir
Bodyguard following a panic attack over safety concerns amidst the ongoing mob sexual assaults.
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entitled “The voice of a woman is a revolution”. In her speech she described the courage that women showed in protesting alongside men during the
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In 2012, she founded Tahrir
Bodyguard, a movement comprising uniformed volunteers to protect women from the mob sexual assaults in Tahrir Square.
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documentary by French journalist Sonia Dridi entitled “Sexual harassment, an
Egyptian disease". The documentary which included interviews with
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85:, she immediately took to the site to start an account and started tweeting safety tips and calls for volunteers. In an interview with
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and co-founder and assistant executive director of the Panzi
Foundation USA Lee Ann De Reus. The panel discussion was moderated by
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and denounced the attacks and harassment they have faced since then. She also highlighted the pandemic of mob sexual assaults in
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comprising construction helmets and neon vests were intended to protect the volunteers and make them easily visible at night.
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she stated that she was overwhelmed by the account's immediate reach, with over 600 followers during the first 2 hours.
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in
December 2012 using a pseudonym. In February 2013, her name and occupation were revealed in a profile by the
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410:"Attention Men: If You Attack a Woman In Tahrir Square, You Might Get Your Ass Kicked, Finally"
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In April 2015, she was chosen as one of 22 Mediterranean women leaders of the future by
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is a
Finnish-Egyptian social entrepreneur and women's rights advocate active in Egypt.
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In
September 2015, she was one of 22 young Arab leaders selected for the German
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Tahrir Bodyguard operated in two ways. First, the group proactively patrolled
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to Egyptian parents. Her family moved to Egypt when she was seven years old.
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included Lebanese journalist Jenan Moussa, British journalist and barrister
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396:"Grassroots Group Fights Back Against Sexual Assaults in Tahrir Square"
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in one generation. Italian-Egyptian model, actress and philanthropist
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164:’s Ebaa El-Tamami in a special episode of the widely popular show
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438:"Tahrir Bodyguard launches free self-defense training for women"
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Global Women's Mentoring Partnership held in collaboration with
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Together with her Tahrir Bodyguard colleagues she appeared in a
452:"The Girl Generation SAG Member Soraya Bahgat supporting Goal5"
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354:"Gruesome Attacks on Egyptian Women Spawn Helmeted Volunteers"
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At the beginning, she was anonymous and gave an interview to
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In March 2014, she was chosen as one of the mentees in the
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466:"Elisa Sednaoui Foundation's Friends and Collaborators"
583:"Soraya Bahgat halt an die Ziele der Arabellion fest"
382:"Tahrir's bodyguards fight to 'cure Egypt's disease'"
368:"Tahrir's bodyguards fight to 'cure Egypt's disease'"
569:"Women Under Threat Panel at the Oslo Freedom Forum"
555:"Egyptian Activist addresses the Oslo Freedom Forum"
127:She is a member of the Strategic Advisory Group of
424:"Egypt Bodyguards Take Stand Against Sex Assault"
340:"Egypt Bodyguards Take Stand Against Sex Assault"
311:"Egypt Bodyguards Take Stand Against Sex Assault"
115:During down times where there was no activity in
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16:Social entrepreneur and women's rights advocate
541:"Soraya Bahgat-Speakers-Oslo Freedom Forum"
283:"Soraya Bahgat-Speakers-Oslo Freedom Forum"
144:on the board of the Gezira Youth Center.
123:Women’s Advocacy and Community Engagement
608:The American University in Cairo alumni
527:"Episode 17 of season 2 of Al Bernameg"
513:"Sexual harassment an Egyptian disease"
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324:Soraya Bahgat kantaa vastuuta Egyptistä
222:International Parliamentary Scholarship
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297:"Soraya Bahgat Finland Global Profile"
74:While at the office and on the way to
201:television Newsreader and journalist
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260:Université Paris I Panthéon Sorbonne
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480:"Elisa Sednaoui's Egypt foundation"
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628:Finnish people of Egyptian descent
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623:Egyptian women's rights activists
499:"Femmes d'avenir en Méditerranée"
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231:and the French government.
186:Egyptian Revolution of 2011
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262:. She also studied at the
137:female genital mutilation
81:Recognizing the power of
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618:Egyptian women activists
571:. oslofreedomforum.com.
543:. oslofreedomforum.com.
440:. egyptindependent.com.
285:. oslofreedomforum.com.
264:University of Helsinki
557:. dailynewsegypt.com.
426:. huffingtonpost.com.
135:-led movement to end
468:. elisasednaoui.org.
299:. global.finland.fi.
240:US State Department
129:The Girl Generation
62:Bahgat was born in
356:. theatlantic.com.
182:Oslo Freedom Forum
148:Public Appearances
613:Finnish feminists
342:. news.yahoo.com.
313:. news.yahoo.com.
209:Honors and awards
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42:Finnish, Egyptian
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229:Sciences Po
195:Afua Hirsch
166:Al Bernameg
39:Nationality
597:Categories
384:. cnn.com.
370:. cnn.com.
269:References
168:hosted by
58:Early life
250:Education
218:Bundestag
162:Harassmap
154:France 24
224:program
180:at the
83:Twitter
64:Finland
33:Finland
133:Africa
131:, the
106:Gawker
178:Egypt
174:women
258:and
29:Born
220:’s
199:BBC
176:in
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488:^
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