UN Women in Egypt has appointed Egyptian screenwriter Mariam Naoum as its first goodwill ambassador in the country, backing efforts to promote women’s empowerment.
The appointment was announced at a ceremony at the UN Women Regional Office for the Arab States, where regional director Moez Duraid highlighted storytelling’s power to challenge stereotypes and amplify women’s voices, MENA reported.
Naoum said she was proud of the appointment and hoped to connect artistic work with community engagement to support women. She described art as a platform for underrepresented voices and a means of promoting economic empowerment through creative industries.
National Council for Women president Amal Ammar praised Naoum’s use of art to address social issues and portray women’s experiences. She cited works including “Women’s Prison”, “A Girl Named Zat”, “Under Control”, “Why Not?” and “Between Two Seas”.
Naoum has worked in Arab film and television for more than two decades, focusing on social issues and women’s experiences.
Her previous collaboration with UN Women in Egypt includes the 2019 film “Between Two Seas”, produced in partnership with the National Council for Women. The film won more than 22 international awards and prompted public discussion through screenings in several Egyptian governorates.
