In a significant stride towards international cooperation and women’s empowerment, Beheira Governorate recently hosted a Canadian delegation led by Canada’s Ambassador-Designate to Egypt, Ulric Shannon.
The visit, held at the Misr Public Library in Damanhour, aimed to spotlight the successes of the “Rabeha” joint programme, a collaboration between UN Women, UNIDO, and the National Council for Women (NCW), supported by the Government of Canada. It offers a comprehensive package of services to stakeholders in the Egyptian labour market, fostering growth for women job seekers and entrepreneurs.
The Governor of Beheira, Jacqueline Azer, accompanied the delegation, which included key figures from Global Affairs Canada and United Nations organisations. Among them were Sharon Beck, Executive Director of the Middle East Development Programme, and Marwa Alameldeen, UN Women Egypt Deputy Country Representative. The visit underscored the commitment to enhancing the economic roles of women in line with the Sustainable Development Goals and Egypt’s Vision 2030.
Azer highlighted Beheira’s potential, noting its vast agricultural landscape and burgeoning industrial zones as fertile ground for women’s economic participation.
She praised the Rabeha programme, initiated in 2020, for its success in empowering women and expressed eagerness to expand such initiatives. Plans are underway to establish training centres in the industrial zone, offering tailored job opportunities for Rabeha graduates.
Ambassador Shannon expressed his enthusiasm for visiting Beheira, marking it as his first field visit outside Cairo.
He lauded the dedication of the Rabeha participants from Beheira and Alexandria, emphasising the transformative impact of empowering women economically.
“When women develop their full economic potential, economies thrive, and growth benefits more people,” Shannon remarked.
The Rabeha programme, implemented in seven governorates, has positively impacted over 7,500 women, enhancing their economic livelihoods. It provides services tailored to the needs of women, focusing on employability and entrepreneurship. The programme collaborates with the NCW and various development partners to build capacities at the national level.
Zakia Rashad, Rapporteur of the NCW in Beheira, emphasised the ongoing efforts to provide workshops and training courses to enhance women’s skills, including digital marketing. She praised the quality of products displayed at the exhibition held during the visit, showcasing participants’ creativity and craftsmanship.
The delegation toured the Rabeha exhibition, featuring diverse products like handicrafts, cosmetics, and plant-based dairy products. Interactive dialogue sessions with entrepreneurs and job seekers highlighted their success stories and the challenges they overcame, demonstrating the programme’s role in skill enhancement and career advancement.
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