Amina Mostafa (her name was changed at her request) could never have imagined that she would one day find her way around the complex structures of courts and legal systems. But when her daughter got divorced and later remarried, Amina took over the care of her grandson. She embarked on a journey involving courts, legal documents, and lawyers to secure her grandson’s rights.

Amina’s grandson struggled at a very early age. His father did not fulfill his responsibilities—providing neither financial support nor emotional care to his son. This fueled her determination to fight for the child’s rights, which proved to be a challenging endeavor.

“We obtained several court rulings in favor of my grandson, but the journey was overwhelming and I am still determined to fight for his rights until the very end,” she recalls. “I didn’t know how to deal with the legal system, how to draft the necessary documents or where to start. And above all, how to do it with very little money.”

Despite the challenges, she found a place to support throughout.

Amina is one of more than 1.1 million people who have turned to Egypt’s Legal Aid Offices of Family Courts, a network of free legal assistance centers set up as part of a long-standing partnership between Egypt’s Ministry of Justice and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). These offices, established under Egypt’s Family Law No. 10 of 2004, help women and men access justice, particularly in family disputes. Since their establishment in 2008, a total of 44 legal aid offices have been set up, 27 of which are supported by UNDP.

For Amina, the Legal Aid Office was a turning point.

“They didn’t charge me a single pound. They walked me through the whole process—explaining my rights, preparing the documents and even helping me get custody so I could enroll my grandson in school,” she says.

Like Amina, many women struggle to assert their rights due to financial barriers, lack of legal knowledge or fear of the courtroom due to lack of experience dealing with such situations. 70% of the beneficiaries of these legal aid offices are women, reflecting the important role these centers play in empowering them to navigate the family court system.

“I was very scared of standing in front of a judge,” admits Amina. “But they prepared me. They told me what to expect and gave me the confidence to stand up for my grandchild’s rights.”

Recognizing the continued need for legal aid services, the Ministry of Justice and UNDP reaffirmed their partnership in December 2024 with a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at expanding the nationwide coverage of both legal aid offices and Dispute Settlement Offices. This commitment ensures that more vulnerable families like Amina’s receive the support they need and makes access to justice a reality for thousands across Egypt.

Amina’s story is one of perseverance and hope — proof that with the right support, access to justice is possible for all. For her, the fight was never just about legal documents or court hearings, but about securing a future for her grandson.