Dalia Ziada

Egyptian LGBTQ+ rights activist and founder of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, challenging systemic discrimination through legal advocacy.

Dalia Ziada is an Egyptian human rights defender and founder of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR), a leading organization combating discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals and other marginalized groups. Born in 1975, she emerged as a prominent voice during the 2000s when Egypt's legal framework increasingly criminalized non-heteronormative identities. Ziada's work combines grassroots activism with strategic litigation to challenge unjust laws and societal prejudices.

Her advocacy gained international attention following the 2001 Queen Boat incident, where Egyptian authorities arrested over 50 men suspected of homosexuality. Ziada led EIPR's legal defense efforts, exposing systemic human rights violations and advocating for decriminalization. Though Egypt's penal code still criminalizes same-sex relations, her campaigns have raised global awareness through reports like Egypt's Legal Framework Against LGBTQ+ People.

Ziada pioneered the Safe Spaces Project, providing legal aid and mental health support to LGBTQ+ Egyptians facing violence or discrimination. This initiative has directly assisted over 2,000 individuals since 2010. Her work also focuses on training journalists to report sensitively on LGBTQ+ issues, countering media-driven stigma through the Media for Equality program.

Despite facing death threats and state surveillance, Ziada has testified before the UN Human Rights Council and collaborated with international NGOs like Human Rights Watch. Her TEDx Talk Why I Fight for LGBTQ+ Rights in Egypt has garnered over 800,000 views, inspiring global solidarity.

Ziada's legacy includes mentoring a new generation of Egyptian activists through the Leadership Academy for Human Rights. Though Egypt remains hostile to LGBTQ+ rights, her strategies of legal advocacy and community organizing have established vital precedents for future progress. Her resilience in the face of persecution underscores the transformative power of principled activism.