In a survey conducted by UN Women, more than 99% of Egyptian women and girls surveyed said that they had experienced some type of sexual harassment during their lifetime. Today, multiple national initiatives and campaigns have been initiated as part of awareness-raising efforts, and students of Bahia Shehab (MA '09), professor of practice in design and founder of the graphic design program, have recently joined the cause.

In their Advertising and Branding course, students were asked to conceptualize and create a 30-second radio ad on one of four topics: sexual harassment, protection of the environment, worker’s rights or street children.

“Our course focuses on communication as a tool for social change, so all of our briefs in the course help students understand advertising not only from a commercial perspective but from also a social one,” said Shehab. “Students are encouraged to think of different challenges we are facing as a community and try and create communication solutions that address that.”

Five female students took on the topic of sexual harassment, creating radio ads tackling a range of different scenarios relating to the issue. We spoke to the students to get their insights on their projects and what they aim to convey.

“Mara Wahed Al 3alaya...” (“Once, Someone Called Me A...”)

In her radio ad, Salma Zidan, graphic design junior, focuses on the objectification of women and their sexualization on public streets and in Egyptian culture at large. Titled “Mara Wahed Al 3alaya… (Once, Someone Called Me A...), the ad features many women narrating the different objects they’ve been referred as, including a box of matches, pudding, a cat and more, concluding with a message that such objectification isn’t descriptive, cute, funny, flirty or whatever men might think it is.

“I chose this topic because it really hits close to home, and it’s something that’s always bothered me and bothers almost all women,” reflected Zidan. “I hope that it both makes women feel heard and validates their annoyance and anger as well as reaches men and informs them how we will no longer accept this.”

"Unsafe on the Streets"

Verbal sexual harassment and its normalization are what Habiba Abouseif, graphic design and integrated marketing communication junior, chose to embark on through her project. “Nowadays, it's very normalized to do this with the excuse that ‘it's not physical' or ‘we didn't touch you’ and, therefore, they feel it's okay, which is very appalling and inappropriate,” she said.  

In the middle of the rise of sexual harassment cases in Egypt, Abouseif felt that not many have been discussing verbal harassment, despite its very strong effect on women, which, in many cases, can be the same as physical sexual harassment. In her ad, she presents real-life examples of phrases women often hear on the streets by men, mixed with voices of girls sharing their comments and perceptions of the experience.

“I wanted to showcase how this makes girls feel – that we don’t feel ‘happy’ or ‘flattered’ when we hear such phrases. People really belittle its effect on us,” she asserted. “I want this to reach many people and to teach them that it isn't okay, that there should be a limit, that it shouldn't be normalized to harass girls in any form or way, and that it really affects their lives negatively.”

"Don't Ask Us Why We Don’t Speak Up"

Addressing what stops many women from speaking up about their sexual harassment experiences, Nariman Alaswad, graphic design junior, discusses victim-blaming in her radio ad. Her project features a man speaking about how women are frequently blamed for the way they dress and whether they’re veiled or not when that’s not the reason harassment happens. He talks about how harassers can abuse anyone, even men like them. “I specifically chose a man to do this ad because I wanted the ad to be engaging and heard by men. I wanted it to be a sort of a conversation from a man to the other men,” she said.

“I wanted to point that out because of people's reactions and the blame that they put on the girl. Girls are too afraid to speak up about what is happening to them. The reason I chose it is that now sexual harassment happens a lot, and girls started to have some courage to talk about it, and the ads are mainly empowering women to speak up, but what I want is to talk to the people who go against these girls,” said Alaswad.

“I want them to stand behind these girls when they speak up about their incidents instead of blaming them. I wanted to show society how they are very judgmental and always against women. I really want these words to be heard because I believe that it can result in a change. Someone may change the way they think after listening to this ad. Even a minor change would be helpful,” she said.

"It's Everywhere, Every Day, On All Sides"

Pursuing a unique take on the matter, Jessica Gamil, graphic design senior, decided to opt for a rap song in her radio ad. In her project, she stresses the fact that harassment doesn't only happen everywhere but also to all the different body parts, focusing on public transportation, streets, and even workplaces and highlighting its different forms, like staring, catcalling or touching. What's more, she discusses the idea that harassment can be from families in the form of neglect.

"I also wanted to highlight that culture has an important role in supporting this kind of harassment," said Gamil, referring to victim-blaming statements like "it's because you're a woman," that, in a way, encourage the harasser's behavior. "I want to highlight that men literally harrass everyone, including those wearing face veils and even young girls, so there is no blame on our way of dressing or talking."

Last but not least, Gamil intentionally uses a powerful and fearless tone during the ad to convey strength and encourage women to speak up without fear. She argues that if women were to be blamed for anything, it would be for not speaking up when such uninvited acts of harassment occur because if they did, sexual harassment would no longer be tolerated and men would be afraid of women coming forward with their experiences.

Why Radio Ads?

It’s not uncommon for sexual harassment awareness campaigns to be conducted through different media forms, but radio ads are quite a unique take on methodology.

When asked about the choice of radio ads, in particular, Shehab said, “Our design students work mostly with visual data so engaging them in a brief where there are no visuals, only pure concepts where they have to create with words and sound is always an interesting exercise to witness. It pushes them out of their comfort zone and forces them to use new tools that they have not used before. I'm very proud of their contributions and very happy that they will be shared with our AUC community.”

We witnessed a bold act of bravery a few weeks ago when a woman stood up to a child harasser in Cairo's Maadi neighborhood, exposing his crimes to the world. Catching him on camera, she confronted him and circulated the video on Facebook, causing nationwide outrage and leading to his arrest. 

Intervening in a case like this may seem easy, as it is the right thing to do, but there are several factors that can play into a person’s decision to intervene or not. If everyone were to take action when witnessing harassment, the fight against it would progress quickly, but there are barriers that prevent this. Carie Forden, professor and chair in the Department of Psychology, and Lameese El Desouky, assistant professor of psychology, explain the psychological factors that help explain why people act or don’t act in these situations. 

The bystander effect

“When we are in a public space and other people are around, we often assume that someone else will take care of the problem, so we don't act,” Forden said. “In the Maadi case, there was no one else witnessing the incident, so the woman who intervened likely felt that she had to take responsibility for intervening.”

She added that we’re ironically more likely to get help if one person is nearby in an emergency than if many people are nearby.

El Desouky explained this as “diffusion of responsibility.”

Social comparison

“In this, we look around to see how other people are acting as a way to help us decide what to do. If they treat the situation as normal, we are less likely to intervene. The problem is of course, that everyone is looking at everyone else to see what should be done, and that makes it more likely that no one will act.”

Fear of conflict 

As humans, we naturally prefer to maintain harmony in social situations. The fear of making someone upset or of us being attacked or ridiculed is often a barrier to speaking up. 

When people don’t speak up in an incident like this one, they will often use self-justification, according to Forden, or denial to avoid feeling guilty. 

“People also may downplay the seriousness of the abuse and fail to realize the long-term effects it can have on children, particularly if no one stands up for them and makes it stop,” she said. 

How to Normalize Speaking Up 

Recognize the social traps and be aware of how social psychological factors can affect your decision-making.

“If you're in a crowd and something happens, remind yourself of the bystander effect and social influence so that you don't look to other people to decide what to do,” Forden said. 

Prepare yourself ahead of time

Take some time even right now to think about what you would do if you were witnessing this kind of situation so you don’t have to figure it out while it’s happening. 

Practice speaking up in other situations 

“Get comfortable with speaking out and standing up for what you believe. Practice it in small ways so you can practice it in big ways when necessary,” Forden added. 

Speak up so that others will 

El Desouky said that people feel more encouraged to speak up when they see others do so. 

“They should know that if they don’t speak, then it’s possible that no one will,” she said. 

See the humanity in everyone

 “Value and respect children, especially their rights to control access to their own bodies,” Forden said. 

Avoid self-justification

It’s important to get comfortable with being wrong and making mistakes. You should recognize when you are justifying something that you did wrong. 

“Don't beat yourself up about it, but accept it, learn from it, and do better next time,” Forden said.

Get comfortable talking about uncomfortable things 

It’s no question that sex is considered a taboo topic in many cultures around the world. Forden says that one of the best things adults can do for their children is to be relaxed when they ask questions. 

“Answering honestly, using science rather than fear or guilt to address children's questions about sex is really all we need to do. In particular, teaching young children about body integrity, for example, allowing them to refuse to kiss or hug a relative if they don't want to, is important. We can also teach them to say "no," run away, and tell a trusted adult if someone touches them or approaches them in a way that makes them feel unsafe,” she said. 

Teaching children this at a young age can instill in them the right knowledge, integrity and bravery for dealing with situations, even into their adult lives. 

"Normal People"

In many cases, abusers seem like “normal people,’ and people are often in disbelief that this person could be a sexual predator. However, Forden said that most abusers usually are your “normal” day-to-day people, as they’re even close family members. 

“That's why it's important to teach children how to speak up, to teach them openly and honestly about sex in an age-appropriate way, and to believe them when they report abuse,” she said. “As a society, we also need to respect and value children more. Adults abuse children because children are powerless.”

El Desouky explained that some abusers are disturbed people. 

“For instance, this person may have been bullied, experienced social rejection, and have little social support from friends and/or family. Someone who is disturbed might also be engaged in addictive behaviors that are harmful to them, potentially to cope with a hardship,” she said. 

Seeing these factors could help identify abusers. 

Looking at the system

Now, should the law take into account psychological conditions of abusers?

“No, the law should not, and cannot, excuse those with psychological conditions,” said Jason Beckett, assistant professor of law. “But it should be a factor in sentencing and rehabilitation. However, this is very expensive to do well.”

Beckett said that from a law perspective, the most important thing to do is ensure an environment where sexual violence reports are taken seriously and compassionately. 

And at the core, the fight against sexual harassment can only be tackled by shaking up the systems on which society is built on. 

“Harassers and rapists are produced by systems of everyday sexism and institutional misogyny,” he said. “We need to address how we teach men and boys, how we encourage misbehavior (boys will be boys, policing women's clothing and choices, etc.) and we need to change an entire culture of sexism. That will not be easy, and men should feel obliged to do most of the hard work, we are, after all, the problem.”

On Monday, AUC held a virtual media roundtable discussion on the launch of the “Spring 2021 Concert Series” and the latest initiatives of the Department of the Art’s Music Program. Speakers at the media roundtable were Chelsea Green, associate professor and director of the Music Program; Ashraf Fouad, AUC Concert Series director and adjunct professor; Nesma Mahgoub ’13, AUC Concert Series member, adjunct professor, and singer and Tasneem Elaidy, a junior student of Music Technology and Music Performance at AUC. The discussion was followed by a live stream of the Mosaic Quintet performing selected works by Egyptian pioneers in Arab music from the mid-1800s to the mid-1960s and many other Arab musical forms. 

“AUC Music Program’s Concert Series presents this year 13 professional concerts followed by six student performances at the end of the semester,” said Ashraf Fouad, AUC Concert Series director, and adjunct professor. AUC Concert Series this year includes Pawel Kuzma and Taha El Mansy performing The Lineage: Music for Classical Guitar; Isis String Orchestra’s performance, from Classical to American Music; Lions of Cairo performance, Baroque and Before, and Opera for peace Concert, which will feature young Arab singers performing with Cairo Festival Orchestra.

Fouad said that AUC Concert Series is one of the oldest and most prestigious in the region. “AUC Concert Series has been present since the founding of the University,” he said. “This series hosted the legendary Umm Kulthum and American Pianist and Composer Herbie Hancock at Ewart Memorial Hall. The same series invited Cairo Conservatory and Cairo Ballet. Ewart Hall also witnessed Gaetano Donizetti’s Don Pasquale — an opera buffa, or comic opera in three acts by Italian composer Donizetti — in collaboration with Cairo Opera House featuring AUC students with professional singers. Also, a section of The Bolshoi gave a special performance of The Nutcracker ballet [in this series].” 

Chelsea Green, associate professor and director of the Music Program, highlighted the uniqueness of AUC’s Music Program, which teaches the theory, literature, and performance of music, and the theory and practice of music technology, with an orientation towards performance and study in both Western and Arab music.

"The Bachelor of Arts in music technology is the only degree of its type in the region. We have students coming from Lebanon and other areas of the Middle East to study with us," Green said. "The program offers cutting-edge technology, including a recording studio and a mastering studio. Our students not only get the theoretical knowledge but also get a lot of practical experience.”

Green discussed the program’s dual emphasis on both Turko-Arab and Western European music cultures, contributing to this program’s uniqueness. “Our students graduate with the knowledge and practice of the theoretical and historical aspects of both cultures.”

Nesma Mahgoub ’13, AUC Concert Series member, adjunct professor, and singer discussed AUC’s role in supporting students and performers. She said: “I am so proud of AUC’s Music Program and what it offers to its students. I am where I am today because of AUC and the knowledge that it offered me not just in singing, but in music technology as well.”

Mahgoub said that after winning first place in the singing competition Star Academy Arabia, she completed her bachelor’s degree then pursued her dream in singing. “In 2017, I decided to teach at AUC out of gratitude, to give back and share my real-life-performance field experience with AUC students and help them pursue their dreams as I did. I love and enjoy teaching at AUC, as we have so many talents that need guidance to unleash their ultimate potential.” Mahgoub also added new music genres not offered in the music program, like pop and rock. 

Green also said that the students are the unique elements of the Music Program. “I believe the most fruitful artistic journeys take place in a liberal arts environment. In this program, every student has the opportunity to develop artistic integrity and understand how art engages with our complex world.”

With COVID-19 disrupting the music industry and live concerts worldwide, AUC’s Music Program had to get creative, using the latest technologies to live-stream concerts. Fouad said: “Everyone is welcome to attend our concerts, whether face-to-face or through live-streaming, as some events are open to a limited number of audiences, and others are only live-streamed.”

Fouad explained that AUC’s Music Technology program enables its students to become professional sound engineers learning music recording, editing, production, and broadcasting. “The live streaming team is supervised by David Rafferty, director of music technology, who works with graduates and undergraduates — most of them are technology, and some are film majors — who work very hard to fulfill this complicated mission,” he added.

Tasneem Elaidy, a junior student of Music Technology and Music Performance at AUC, is one of those students working behind the scenes to make the live streaming come to life. She applies what she learns in class through AUC Concert Series. 

“We work on setting everything up during the event, from checking the microphones to checking the sound. We are always the first to come and last to leave the event to make sure that the event is well-recorded on YouTube," she said. She is now working on her new songs rather than just singing covers, “Studying music at AUC is what helped me enhance my knowledge in music technology and qualified me to start working on my songs.”

For more information on the Department of Arts events, please visit the department’s Facebook page.

Around 800 prospective students attended AUC's first virtual Open Day last Saturday, and more than 20 faculty members engaged with the students. 

Prospective students from a diverse set of high school backgrounds explored the 40 majors and 55 minors offered at the University. Each school had a Zoom booth and was represented by a faculty member who answered questions about the different courses, tracks and programs found at the school. The Student Service Center also had a booth to answer any additional questions about programs and admissions

The business in marketing major was the most popular major, with 153 prospective students indicating their interest in it, followed by business and entrepreneurship, computer science and graphic design. 

Most of those who attended have an American high school diploma, followed by thanawiya amma and British diplomas. 

The School of Sciences and Engineering had the greatest number of participants with 1,915, followed by the School of Business, and Student Service Center.

Faculty Reflections 

The School of Business held six breakout rooms, where chairs, faculty and staff held parallel sessions with potential students and parents. The students were able to move between each breakout room to explore the different areas of accounting, business and entrepreneurship, economics, finance, management of information and communication technology, and marketing.

"I believe that the virtual Open Day was a great success and was really the result of effective collaboration among the different schools, offices across campus, and departments within the School of Business," said Ahmed Abdel-Meguid, associate dean for undergraduate studies and administration and associate professor of accounting. "I think this model should continue even post COVID-19, given its outreach and flexibility."

Faculty from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences met with hundreds of potential students and parents from Egypt and other countries who are interested in the school's 10 departments and 63 different programs.

"HUSS prides itself in developing critical, independent and creative thinkers who are ready to embrace, and make a positive impact in, the changing world," said Jillian Campana, professor of theatre and associate dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. "Our guests at Open Day understood that studying the humanities teaches the skills that today’s employers want, leaving graduates ready to embrace numerous career options in multiple fields."

Shahjahan Bhuiyan, associate professor of public administration and associate dean for undergraduate studies and administration at the School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, said that although this was a new experience, the event went smoothly and participants seemed to have learned a lot.

"It was a well-coordinated event among the participating schools, the Office of Marketing Communication and Public Affairs, the Office of Enrollment and other relevant administrative units. I am very grateful to my colleagues at GAPP for their support, active engagement and hard work to make the event a great success," Bhuiyan said.  

For the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, Firas Al-Atraqchi, professor of practice, said the event went on "without a hitch." 

"The students, who I assume were all high school seniors, were very enthusiastic and asked a lot of engaging questions," Al-Atraqchi said.

The Academy of Liberal Arts had almost 100 participants, and the team was able to explain to students the nature of liberal arts studies.

"Open Day was an excellent event," said Matthew Hendershot, associate dean of undergraduate studies and the ALA. "The ALA team had a great time interacting with students who were inquiring about the nature of Core Curriculum, what the liberal arts are about, and just the process of starting their studies at AUC. I hope to see some of those who visited the ALA booth as future students at AUC."

Msh Zanbik, formerly known as You-W-Ana Too, is hitting the stage at AUC on March 22. Months in the making by AUC students, faculty and alumni, the production consists of five plays, each one exploring a different perspective of sexual harassment: families and couples, bystanders, victims and perpetrators, men and women, power and incapacity. The plays each deal with a different aspect of this issue and together reject the common assumption that victims of harassment and assault are at fault.

Conceived by Jillian Campana, professor of theatre and associate dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, along with Dina Amin, head of the Theatre Program and associate professor of theatre, the play drew inspiration from a  2018 Washington Post article, “In Egypt, a #MeToo complaint can land a woman in jail.” With the events that unfolded this past summer in Egypt and the movement around sexual harassment awareness gaining unprecedented traction, Campana and Aminhad known that this sort of production would gain support and interest.

News@AUC caught up with some of the playwrights to hear about what they believe is the importance of this production and what they look forward to most. 

Play 1: Ensah

Playwright: Nour El Captan, theatre sophomore

Ensah explores PTSD in sexual harassment victims. El Captan said she believes this aspect is often overlooked in conversations about harassment, so it is important to showcase this to let people know they are not alone.

“With so many stories coming out each day, it is easy to get overwhelmed and forget that there are real people who suffer the consequences of harassment in their day-to-day life. I’m hoping that the production could remind people of just how widespread harassment is and how its effects are destructive and permanent. ... The people I know personally who came out with their stories are the ones who inspired me most because I had no idea that they had gone through something like that.”

Play 2: See Me

Playwrights: Nour Ibrahim, theatre and IMC senior; Omar Omar, theatre senior

See Me looks at sexual harassment from the perspective of the family. For both playwrights, it was important to focus on the family because of the central role families play in the support — or lack thereof — of survivors and the role of family in society as a source of nurture and growth for children.

“Discussing the aftermath [of sexual harassment] has always been taboo, again something burdened on the women. The pressure is always on the woman to deal with it on her own and not to place this pain in the hands of the people who promised to care for her. No one wants to see their parents cry. No child wants to do that. We hope to show in our play the anxieties these survivors of sexual assault and their families all have, not to give excuses for a parent's avoiding behavior, but to give an understanding of the realities that plague a parent and their child when these situations arise.”  - Nour Ibrahim

“Many survivors, especially young ones, are left to carry their burdens alone when members of their family are not emotionally present, and that is a critical issue that needs to be addressed. Emotional support is vital to the wellbeing of a person, especially in the aftermath of painful experiences like sexual assault. It was our goal to highlight this message in our play. Additionally, we wanted to make sure that other perspectives, specifically those held by parents, were presented, examined, and explained. Sexual assault can have a serious impact on the family at large, and we wanted to touch on that with our work.”  - Omar Omar

Play 3 : The Report

Noran Alaa Morsy ‘20

The Report explores the dynamic between two female characters, one who wears the hijab and one who doesn’t.

“This perspective is not heard often, and we never see hijabis in the theater, let alone on a stage where they are not powerless or a side character to fit into someone’s story, so I thought it was about time that that perspective is heard.”

The play also delves into the topic of reporting.

“I think I really hone in on female friendship and female solidarity, as well as the role men play, or often don’t play, in situations of harassment. We try to show the pros and cons of reporting, leaving the audience to decide if it’s worth it or not. I think it’s important because we often preach seeking help and reporting harassers but we never really examine the consequences of that and where that leaves the victim of the situation. Sometimes we even go as far as to blame those that haven’t reported their situation, disregarding the difficulty of that and the very real effects that it can have.”

Play 4: Esh Fahemek 

Playwright: Yehea Abdel Ghany, theatre, integrated marketing communications senior

Esh Fahemek shows audiences the clash of social classes in Egypt. Bringing together characters from wealthy backgrounds and those from impoverished ones.

“The reason behind this is to explore a very evident class struggle in Egypt while also highlighting how women of all classes are victims of some sort of violence.”

He said that the “bold and courageous” feminist movement in Egypt has been inspirational, but people need to understand the actual lasting effects of harassment. 

“I noticed that while we consume so much news around horrendous acts of violence against women, we only absorb them as headlines wihtout reflecting on how it may have scarred the female victims emotionally. I wanted to highlight the emotional aspect through this play.”
 

Play 5: The Day We Met

Playwrights: Marwan Abdelmoneim ‘20, Passant Faheem

The Day We Met explores harassment in relationships. 

"The relationship perspective is an essential part of the me too movement and in any conversation about sexual harassment. We grew up fearing strange men. Our mothers told us to avoid men in the streets, but nobody told us that harassment can take place anywhere, even in an intimate relationship. It's a conversation we need to have because too many of us have doubted themselves with their partners because the lack of awareness about sexual harassment within relationships."

“A lot of girls are coerced to do things they are uncomfortable with to please their partners. This is normalized and encouraged under the umbrella of ‘saving the relationship.’ This of course can be as minor as a kiss or as big as marital rape. I think the magnitude of the assaults that happen within relationships is what makes this angle worth exploring.”

“Gender-based violence can be in the form of patriarchal norms through propagating gender stereotypes and always putting women and girls in a weaker position, or assuming that certain things are out of their capacity because of their gender traits and identity,” asserted Aisha Altubuly '21, political science graduate who received the Tomorrow’s Leaders US State-Department Funded (TL) scholarship at AUC.

Originally from Libya, Altubuly has actively been highlighting gender-based violence (GBV) through her work with Together We Build It (TWBI), an NGO based in Tripoli. For her, the definition of GBV isn’t just physical violence.

Under the title “She’s Libya'', Altubuly co-led the campaign, which aimed at raising awareness of displacement and the struggles faced by women on the national level to highlight gender-based violence, especially during armed conflicts and displacement. Launched on International Women’s Day 2020, the online national campaign addressed the situation of displaced women in Libya, showcasing a true story of a displaced young Libyan woman’s family and the painful conditions accompanying their displacement process.

“The idea of She’s Libya came to our team as  we wanted to salute all women, and especially Libyan women, for their strength, passion, patience, resilience and adaptation to the tough and challenging circumstances imposed on all Libyans because of the ongoing armed conflict since 2014,” said Altubuly. “There’s no doubt that the armed conflict happening in different areas is affecting all Libyans, but the displacement process especially affects Libyan women in many ways. The stories of displaced Libyan women not only describe the suffering and pain, but they also illustrate the courage and resilience of Libyan women, and their commitment to counter violence with peace.”

The video, which was welcomed positively, stirred discussions among the international community at events held in Tunis by the Canadian, French and Dutch embassies. In fact, it was sponsored by the Netherlands Embassy in Libya and supported by the UN Women office. “The goal was to raise awareness of the issue and the struggles faced by women on the national level,” explained Altubuly. “ We wanted to use this campaign to seek advocacy from the international community to emphasize the need for peacebuilding efforts. It’s a highly relevant matter to all Libyans, and TWBI and I felt the need to address it.”

Moreover, Altubuly had partaken in the past "16 Days of Activism against GBV" campaign, during which she and her team launched the second series of the "Super Banaweet" campaign, addressing social, economic and political issues that affect girls’ lives using visual story-telling comics. The campaign, based on true stories within Libyan households and schools, reflects how women and girls are harmed by gender inequality and patriarchal norms in different contexts.

“The idea of the campaign was to provide a virtual space for conversations and debates where Libyans can engage and discuss the presented stories,” she said. “We wanted to initiate conversations on topics and behaviors that are traditionally ignored and seen as normal or okay to do. Through monitoring the conversations, we were able to debate and reply to people’s comments as needed to clarify what’s harmful within the stories.”

As the world navigates the pandemic, it is also witnessing an increase in domestic violence and cyberbullying, especially in Arab countries, with the latest survey conducted by the United Nations in several Arab countries revealing that 46% of Libyan women fear an increase in violence under the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In line with the exceptionalities of this year and its circumstances, the campaign attempted to include and relate to the effects of emergencies like lockdowns on women, while raising awareness of the daily harmful gender norms within Libyan society and increasing momentum toward ending violence against women around the world.

Ever since Altubuly witnessed the 2011 uprising in Libya, she’s been eager for “prosperous change” and grew determined to work on Libyan women’s issues. Since she was as young as 15 years (now 24), she volunteered with TWBI organization to become more involved in activism and work toward peace building and advocating gender equality in Libya. “Since then, it became a part of my identity and life path to keep exerting this effort,” she reflected.

“Through the Tomorrow’s Leaders Scholarship program, I was able to pursue a major in political science with a specialization in international relations. I wanted quality education university, and indeed, my education here at AUC has expanded my horizons and exposed me to many skills, including quality research, academic writing, analysis, and more,” said Altubuly.

“All of this helped me develop and become more productive in my work with TWBI, and improved my capacity to handle projects and campaigns with esteemed institutions such as UN Women and other networks and international NGOs," she said. Now, I’m looking forward to expanding my knowledge even more as I start my Master of Arts in Gender and Women’s Studies in the Middle East/North Africa at AUC.”

Lana Kurdi '20 and Mariem Abutaleb '20, graduates of the graphic design program, both designed posters that were recently recognized as some of the 100 Best Arabic Posters of 2020. 

Curated in Quarantine

Kurdi created both of her posters while staying home during the lockdown last year. 

"At that time, I was working remotely and, like everyone else, feeling quite uninspired and overwhelmed by the uncertainty of the events," she said. "But, I tried to distract myself after work by experimenting with different posters."

Her first poster involves Arabic hand lettering and reads "You tell yourself: I shall be gone." Drawn digitally, the poster is based on a poem titles "The City" by C.P. Cavafy. 

"It touched me because it discusses that common desire to leave your city believing that a brighter future is awaiting you in some other place," Kurdi said. "But the poem concludes with a confronting statement: 'There’s no new land...for the city will follow you,' so it felt like the ocean that you might think is waiting for you is nothing but a small nice pool."

She describes her second poster as a "fun one," as it's an illustration of someone dancing on a laptop. On it is written, "That's what you need to do when you're going through a creative block."

"I was having one myself, so I thought that the best thing to be done when you’re dysfunctional is to stop working and have some fun," Kurdi said.

When the Best Arabic Posters announced an open call for posters, Kurdi sent hers under the 'Experimental Posters' section. 

 "I was thrilled when I heard back from them as it means a lot to me, especially that the jury members are designers I look up to," she said.

Kurdi said she hopes to keep developing as a designer and that competitions like this one encourage aspiring designers and artists to connect.

You can find Kurdi's posters here.

Putting Research to Design

Abutaleb's creativity stands out in that her passion lies not only in design, but embedding research into her artwork. 

"I believe in the ultimate importance of the cultural heritage in different fields and how design and research are able to bring powerful statements and support our identity," she said.

The main motivation in her work typically revolves around Arabic Lettering designs and type design.

"I love experimenting with the beauty of the Arabic script alongside reflecting on its richness," she said.

Her award-winning posters are a series made for her graduation project "Folk Songs Archive: Visualizing Egyptian Folk Songs." The project's aim is to document Egyptian folk songs, inspired by the lack of archiving folkloric materials. Her work focuses on visualizing folk songs in Al-Sharqia governorate (agricultural environment) and Port Said (coastal environment) into lettering designs. The difference between each area is depicted by envisioning the lyrics through lettering designs and turning each song to an illustrated piece from the original environment.

"This reflects on how the cultural environment influences the group to create their own kind of folk songs," she said. "The style of the posters focuses on analyzing the cultural environmental elements along with integrating them within the design."

Abutaleb said she felt honored to have her work featured as one of the Hundred Best Arabic posters.

"I am glad that my work is presented at such a reputable competition with an amazing and creative exposure," she said. 

You can find the full project here. 

The AUC Ethics HelpLine encourages the AUC community to report any acts of misconduct or violations of the University's policies on its premises. It guarantees confidential reporting and documentation of complaints, as well as the timeliness and completeness of the administration’s response. News@AUC spoke to Wessam Abozeid, senior director of compliance in the Office of General Counsel and Compliance.

What is the benefit of an Ethics HelpLine?

The AUC Ethics HelpLine is a tool to report any misconduct, actual or potential legal violations, or violation of University policy. The AUC Ethics HelpLine also provides the option to report anonymously. This confidential and impartial web-based system directs the reports to the authorized University official to handle the issue and track progress to ensure timely resolution.

During the AUC Ethics HelpLine’s three-month pilot phase, we will work to improve/optimize the system to meet the University’s needs.

Why does AUC need an Ethics HelpLine?

The earlier we address any potential misconduct, the easier we prevent or remedy any potential impacts or risks, and the better we improve our working and learning environment.

When should people file a report through the AUC Ethics Helpline? 

Any situation, activity, or transaction that could potentially violate a law, regulation, or University policy or procedure could be a compliance issue. If you are concerned that an activity is inappropriate under these guideposts, or if you encounter a situation that simply feels wrong or makes you uncomfortable, you should speak to your supervisor or contact the University official that manages the area in which the issue has arisen. If, for whatever reason, you are uncomfortable going through these channels, or if you have raised an issue with the appropriate people but feel that it has not been addressed, you can make a report through the AUC Ethics HelpLine.

What are examples of types of cases that should be reported?

Examples include, but are not limited to:

• Any forms of waste, fraud, abuse, or neglect whether rising to the level of potential illegality or at minor levels, that appear relatively easy to rectify for the general benefit of AUC and our community;
• False claims, financial misstatements, or accounting or auditing irregularities;
• Undisclosed or unmanaged conflicts of interest;
• Physical, sexual, verbal, and mental abuse;
• Retaliation;
• Mismanagement or abuse of authority relating to a contract or grant, including the competition for or negotiation of a contract; and/or
• A substantial or specific danger to public health or safety. 

What distinguishes the AUC Ethics HelpLine from other reporting platforms that currently exist?

Any community member (faculty, staff, students, vendors, and visitors) can use the AUC Ethics HelpLine to raise a concern. Additionally, the AUC Ethics HelpLine supports anonymous reporting. Meanwhile, only students can report concerns or violations through the Advocate system.

Is this common practice in other universities? Can you give examples?

Yes, most universities have several tools for reporting concerns and the option to report anonymously. Many US institutions such as Harvard University, Georgetown University, Columbia University, and Northwestern University, as well as the American University in Beirut, use the same third-party provider, NAVEX, to facilitate reporting.

Other examples include Lehigh University, Miami University, Cornell University, Villanova University, Claflin University, and the University of Buffalo.

Who manages the AUC Ethics HelpLine? 

The Senior Director of Compliance manages the AUC Ethics HelpLine.

What is the role of the third party, NAVEX Global? What's the benefit of having this third party?

The NAVEX system is entirely stand-alone and web-based, which means it does not link to AUC’s internal systems. In fact, NAVEX, as the provider, is contractually committed not to pursue a reporter’s identity. This enables individuals to report issues and concerns associated with unethical or illegal activities while maintaining anonymity and confidentiality.

How can someone file a report?

The AUC Ethics HelpLine is carefully designed to maintain confidentiality and anonymity at every step. Go to the AUC Ethics HelpLine from any device (mobile, home computer, etc.) and select "Make a report."

Following the on-screen instructions, complete the report as thoroughly as you can. Specify what report you would like to make from the available choices and read the anonymity information carefully—it helps to ensure that you do not compromise your identity during the reporting process. It is recommended to include the following information about the incident you are reporting:

• Who: persons engaged in the incident, including titles
• What: what specifically occurred
• Where: the location of the incident
• When: the time and duration of the incident

Create a password and write it down with the "Report Key" that will be given to you. You will need both of these to follow up on, review, or amend your report later.

You may also email the Senior Director of Compliance at [email protected] or visit our office in person on the 2^nd floor of the Administration Building to file a report in person.

Who can file a report?

Students, faculty, staff, vendors, or visitors to the campus may file a report through the AUC Ethics HelpLine.

Who accesses these reports? 

The AUC Ethics HelpLine enters reports directly onto NAVEX’s secure server. NAVEX makes these reports available only to the Senior Director of Compliance and individuals designated by the University’s complaint procedures, who are charged to promptly evaluate the report and decide how to follow up for effective resolution. Depending on the nature of the report, the system will send it to the appropriate University official.

Can people file anonymous reports? Will their identity be known to anyone?

Yes, they can. The AUC Ethics HelpLine allows you to submit reports anonymously. The AUC Ethics HelpLine does not generate or maintain any internal connection logs with IP addresses, so no information linking your PC to the AUC Ethics HelpLine is available.

How do people who file a report guarantee that they will not be discriminated against afterward? Are there policies that protect them?

Reports filed through the AUC Ethics HelpLine (and reports made through other University channels) are covered by the Policy on Reporting Unethical or Illegal Conduct, which recognizes that reporting is a service to the University and prohibits retaliation of any kind for reports that are made in good faith.

What happens after someone files a report?

If you include your contact information when filing your report through the AUC Ethics HelpLine system, the Senior Director of Compliance will follow up with you directly to schedule an in-person or telephone meeting. If you file your report anonymously, NAVEX will send you an email when the Senior Director of Compliance responds to your report or asks you any follow-up questions. You will have the option to continue to respond anonymously via the AUC Ethics HelpLine.

Can someone provide additional information after filing a report? How? 

When you file a report through the AUC Ethics HelpLine via the online system, you will receive a case key number and the system will ask you to choose a password. You can return to the AUC Ethics HelpLine system at any time to access the original report or add further information.

Will people who file a report be informed of the outcome? When?

Yes, the reporter will be notified of the outcome of any reports filed once the investigation is finalized. The investigation time varies on a case-to-case basis.

What can people do if a false report is filed against them? What if the report is anonymous?

Any reports or complaints filed through the AUC Ethics HelpLine will be fully investigated, and actions will only be taken based on the evidence found, not just based on the report itself.

How can people get more information about the AUC Ethics Helpline?

They may visit the AUC Ethics HelpLine page or contact the Compliance Office by email at [email protected] or in person on the second floor of the Administration Building.

AUC welcomes the Class of 2025 in unusual circumstances — with new hopes and challenges awaiting them. AUC is still implementing a hybrid model of classes with an emphasis on maintaining a low-density campus.

Having the first month of the spring semester entirely online did not prevent the incoming students from enjoying their orientation and preparing for their AUC journey.

"We are all ready for the pandemic to end and active life to resume on campus, yet for the ongoing safety of the community, we conducted this year's orientation entirely online via Zoom," said Mohamed Gendy, manager of the First-Year Program. "This didn't stop the new students from fully engaging with their peer leaders during the sessions — asking questions, exchanging ideas, sharing stories and playing educational games. The energy and vibes were great."

The new undergraduate class — 54% females and 46% males — enriches the community's diversity, with students coming from Nigeria, Algeria, Yemen, Iraq and Saudi Arabia.

Likewise, on the graduate level, the class — 70% females and 30% males — comprises a diverse international body coming from the United States, Nigeria, Libya, Yemen, Canada, Kuwait, Palestine and Syria. 

Students expressed their hopes and eagerness to learn more about Egyptian culture, engage in a wide variety of cocurricular activities and improve their Arabic-language skills. News@AUC caught up with some Egyptian and international students during orientation week to learn about why they decided to join AUC and what they look forward to this semester. Here's what they had to say: 

Amanda Robles, an international student, studying at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., is looking forward to forming a strong base for Modern Standard Arabic and Egyptian Colloquial Arabic, in addition to acquiring a thorough understanding of the regions that practice those languages. "When it comes to subjects regarding the Middle East, [my home university] does not offer many options for courses," she said. "In comparison, AUC has an extensive list of courses which range from the culture of different areas in the Middle East to language, politics, and economics; this is why I chose AUC. I haven't seen a university that offers a list of courses as impressive as AUC, and since my university partners with AUC, I thought it would be an excellent option!"

Olivia Voss, an international student studying international relations at the University of North Carolina, is looking forward to improving her Arabic-language skills. "I wanted to come to AUC because it has a great reputation, and I want to improve my Arabic. I have wanted to travel to Egypt since I was a kid," she said. "Everyone has been so kind already, and my expectations going forward are to make many great and long-lasting friendships and to improve my understanding of the region."

Vebjørn Hole Uleberg, an international student pursuing a Master in International Management/CEMS, came to AUC because it is the only CEMS academic partner in Africa and the Middle East. CEMS, or the Global Alliance in Management Education, is also the only AUC program ranked by the Financial Times and The Economist. "I find Egypt — with its culture, language, and people — very interesting," he said. "AUC is also the only University in the MENA region that is part of the CEMS network, meaning that it must be of high quality while also giving a unique cultural experience."

Uleberg is also looking forward to "seeing and experiencing what Egypt is like, including learning Arabic, getting to know locals and traveling all over the country," he added.

Marissa Jean Haskell is joining AUC from the United States. She had previously studied abroad at AUC as an undergraduate student. "I loved being here and in Egypt so much that I was looking for an excuse to come back," she said. "One of the main reasons I returned to AUC is the quality of professors here. At AUC, it seems like every professor is a well-known scholar in their respective field, so I am excited to learn from such renowned professionals. I am expecting to not only substantially broaden my knowledge of education and global affairs but also take advantage of the opportunity to grow my international network."

Egyptian students are joining AUC from more than 12 governorates across the country, including Giza, Monufia, Beni Suef, Ismailia and Gharbia.

For freshman Marwan Gamea, one of the main reasons he applied to AUC is sustaining a reasonable balance between academics and cocurricular activities. Gamea's intended major is data science, which "is exclusively available at AUC."

Salma Omar, a freshman intending to major in graphic design, decided to join AUC for the balance that it offers between the quality of education and the cocurricular activities that allow her to find her passion in various fields. "I thought it would give me the best education and environment to thrive," she said. "I am looking forward to building a solid foundation for my future and enjoying college life while still learning about my passion."

Lama Khallaf is another freshman intending to major in electronics and communications engineering who has chosen AUC for its liberal arts education that would prepare her for a strong career. "I'm hoping to really enjoy the diversity of courses that are offered. Although I'm an engineering major, I still have interests outside my major that I want to be able to pursue," she said.

Fahad Muhammad Dankabo, a freshman intending to major in political science, expects to make the best use of his time at AUC on so many levels. "I want to be able to develop both academically and socially," he said. Dankabo was overwhelmed with the welcome he received from everyone since he joined AUC. "The peer leaders' dedication truly reflected on the three-day orientation. It was simply superb and worth emulating. Everything was well-coordinated and executed. What a way to set a high standard for newcomers. Thank you for making it easy for me to blend into my new family."

“A number of students sent me thank you notes during the semester. However, the most rewarding gesture of thanks that I received from them is when at the end of the last class, they unmuted the sound and video and each one of them carried a note of thanks expressing their appreciation. For me, it was a thrilling gesture, which I will always cherish,” said Walid Kazziha, professor of political science.

For Kazziha, what seemed to work the best in online learning is striking a balance between lecturing and student participation.

“At first, students found some difficulty in getting out of their comfort zone. They resorted to hiding behind muting their sound and picture, and left it to me to take the initiative while they watched,” he reflected. “However, with some effort, it was possible to draw them out gradually, as I followed the tactic of presenting the topic briefly at the beginning of class (10-15 minutes), and then asking very simple questions related to how students felt about the subject under discussion. As students began to react, I appealed more to their intellect and not only their feelings. More sophisticated questions were posed to them, and the discussion was eventually fueled by students themselves asking questions and debating the issues.”  

Kazziha also assigned students short presentations at the beginning of class to keep them engaged, interactive and focused.

Kazziha believes that the most important element in successful online teaching is not only the professor’s preparation of what he’ll offer to the students, but how it will be offered.

“The difference between face to face and online is that in the former, the students are coming to learn; in the latter, they are sitting comfortably at home expecting you to go to them. The trick is to draw them out to have a walk with you and share the effort,” he said.