Streetpal App: Building a Community to Help you Face Sexual Harassment

Awareness of Sexual harassment against women in Egypt has been on the rise over the past few years, and efforts by the state and civil society to battle this phenomenon have increased. A team with experience in fighting sexual harassment developed the app “Streetpal” that aims to serve as a tool to create awareness for Egyptian women and reach out for help, according to Yasmeen Madkour, co-founder at Streetpal who shared the story of Streetpal with EgyptInnovate during Entreprenelle: She Can in March.

Users will know specific articles of the Egyptian law that criminalize sexual harassment through the app, and the victims can connect with advocates who can guide them with the legal procedures against the assailants also provide psychological support, among other features, Madkour explained.  they’re also looking for volunteers to be trained as advocates for their app, she added.

Impact

The app is available on Andriod since October and will soon be available on IOS, and Madkour said that the team was delighted with feedback of the users who learn about the laws against sexual harassment through the app.

“Between people who are so impressed and waiting for a solution on ground and people who are skeptical— and rightfully so because it’s a big problem, we don’t promise to help, but we’re providing a solution for women to ask for help and to help themselves.“

Challenges

“Our real challenge is how to deal with society and make the most number of people download the app. The more people download the app the more people know how to deal with harassment.” According to Madkour, their challenge is basically reaching a big number of people to create awareness about rights and policies that already exist for sexual harassment cases.

“I might think that there is no solution. However, the app gives different solutions like asking for support from someone I know, or someone I don’t know but they’re credible and certified. Or just to know my own rights...this app makes it easier to know what the procedures are,” she continued.

Funds and Achievements

Streetpal sees that their greatest achievement is creating awareness around sexual harassment in Egypt, and Madkour said that they’re currently open to sponsorship because it will allow them to expand their activities and hold training for advocates.

Advice For aspiring entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurs shouldn’t be afraid to try new things and be open to new ideas. “Don’t rush. You don’t need to have an idea right now...at some point, it will call you, have some time to discover and try many things, fail, try again, and make mistakes,” Madkour concluded.