Samaher El-Kady, who directed the award-winning documentary I Saw Harassment about sexual harassment in Egypt, has said the problem exists due to a lack of legal protection for women.

The film was inspired by the Sayeda Zeinab protest against sexual harassment in February 2013 when women carried knives to highlight a phenomenon that has plagued Egypt for years, El-Kady told state news agency MENA.

Women are always the subject of blame, at home and on the street, El-Kady added. For the first time, women actively voiced their frustration in public.

Samaher El-Kady studied directing at the Academy of Arts and Technology, after she obtained a B.A in Psychology at Al-Quds University. The Palestinian filmmaker has translated her insights into images in several documentaries, short films and TV series such as 'Wekalet Atteya’, ‘Game Over’, ‘The Chase’ and ‘Gamalat’.

I Saw Harassment received the Co-Production Platform Award at the 16th Ismailia Film Festival which took place between 5 and 9 June 2013.