Dr. Rania Al-Mashat: Economic Empowerment of Women is a Fundamental Pillar for Achieving Economic Development and Employment

Presidential Directives to Enhance and Create a Favorable Work Environment for Women in Government Institutions

Counselor Amal Ammar: The State is Keen on Launching Strategies, Initiatives, and Community Programs Supporting Women

H.E. Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation, met with Counselor Amal Ammar, Head of the National Council for Women, to discuss efforts to empower Egyptian women.

At the beginning of the meeting, H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat congratulated Counselor Amal Ammar on her appointment as the Head of the National Council for Women, emphasizing that the issue of empowering women economically, socially, and politically is a core aspect of all of Egypt’s vision’s axes and programs. This is in line with the directives of H.E. President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and the implementation of the objectives of the National Strategy for the Empowerment of Egyptian Women 2030.

H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat pointed out the state's support for women through various initiatives, including the “Hayah Karima” initiative, which plays a vital role in improving the living conditions of rural women by providing services such as education, healthcare, sanitation, adequate housing, job opportunities, and others. She noted that this initiative is one of the most humanitarian projects globally, aiming to reduce multidimensional poverty and address developmental gaps between governorates. 

Governorates in Upper Egypt account for 68% of the allocations in the first phase, with beneficiaries from these areas making up 61% of the total beneficiaries. 

The project aligns with all goals of the National Human Rights Strategy, with more than 70% of investments directed toward human development in the first phase.

The Minister of Planning and International Cooperation explained that the national project for developing the Egyptian family enhances efforts to improve the status of women and elevate the quality of life for Egyptian families through its comprehensive axes. 

The project aims to economically empower women by providing financial and non-financial services for women-led projects and training programs for employment.

H.E. Minister Al-Mashat emphasized that the merger of the Ministry of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation has contributed to strengthening efforts for the successful implementation of this project at the national level, in coordination with international partnerships and multilateral cooperation, all of which are essential for the continued optimal implementation of the project and preserving the gains made over the past three years. 

The Ministry allocated around 2 billion EGP for the project, collaborating with implementing agencies and partners, including the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Social Solidarity, and the National Council for Women. 

The project has achieved significant progress, particularly in controlling population growth rates and empowering women economically.

H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat noted that initiatives addressing climate change have not overlooked women’s roles. She mentioned the allocation of a category for women's development projects within the National Initiative for Green Smart Projects. 

The Minister also highlighted the establishment of a category for government excellence awards under the title “Equality of Opportunities and Women’s Empowerment,” in line with the directives of H.E. President El-Sisi, aimed at enhancing and creating a favorable work environment for women in government institutions.

Minister Al-Mashat also affirmed that women's empowerment is a key focus in cooperation with multilateral and bilateral development partners. Many programs are being implemented to directly achieve women’s empowerment, and gender equality is incorporated as a subgoal in various development projects, including water, agricultural, and rural development. Several partnerships, such as the Economic and Social Empowerment Program for Women with USAID and the Closing the Gender Gap Accelerator with the World Economic Forum, are pivotal in this regard.

For her part, Counselor Amal Ammar commended the efforts of the Ministry of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation in empowering women. She mentioned the cooperation between the Council and the Ministry on several successful programs aimed at empowering Egyptian women within the framework of achieving sustainable development goals. 

She explained that the Council is continuing its diligent efforts to make tangible progress in women’s empowerment across its various dimensions.

Counselor Amal Ammar emphasized that women are now experiencing their golden era under political leadership that supports and believes in the importance of women’s empowerment. She highlighted the state’s ongoing efforts to enhance equality and citizenship rights within the framework of the new republic, with Egyptian women having gained unprecedented and unique accomplishments over the past years. The Egyptian government is committed to launching strategies, initiatives, and community programs that support women, contributing to the development of their skills and integrating them as active and leading figures in sustainable development plans, as well as ensuring the preservation of these gains through supportive legislative and institutional frameworks that enhance their role in all sectors.

She also pointed to the "Tamkeen" program launched by the National Council for Women in partnership with the UN, the European Union, the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation, and the Ministry of Planning. The program aims to strengthen institutional and individual capacities for women and girls, raise awareness of issues related to women’s empowerment, and highlight the state’s protection services for women. She also noted financial inclusion initiatives, service automation, digital transformation, and various training programs to build capacity.

Counselor Ammar expressed her appreciation for the continued inclusion of a component dedicated to women's and girls' empowerment in the United Nations Partnership Strategy for 2023-2027. She stressed the importance of supporting national strategies and plans for women and girls’ empowerment, particularly economic empowerment. She emphasized the need to focus on this area in the coming period, alongside addressing the impacts of climate change, which would support sustainable development and increase women's contributions to the Egyptian economy.

Counselor Ammar also discussed the importance of working on state-specific indicators related to women to reflect the progress of women’s empowerment on the ground, expressing her interest in collaborating with all ministries to further empower women in all sectors in the upcoming period.

The two sides also discussed the developments of the Closing the Gender Gap Accelerator launched by the Ministry of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation, the National Council for Women, in partnership with the World Economic Forum, the private sector, and international organizations. The initiative aims to create a model of partnership between the government, private sector, international organizations, civil society, and academia to strengthen efforts for women's economic empowerment. They discussed how to enhance the program in the upcoming period by involving more companies and creating incentives for them to join the initiative, as well as progressively grading companies based on their policies that serve the empowerment and development of women.