Amira Sayed
Egyptian women have become key partners in drawing development plans besides their active role in implementing such plans, in the firm belief of the state and the political leadership that stability and progress will not be achieved in the new republic except by ensuring the participation of women in all aspects.
This genuine will to empower women was evident in the gains that women obtained over the past eight years, in a way that contributed to the consolidation of equal rights and equal opportunities, as well as strengthening women’s leadership roles. This is in addition to the elimination of all forms of discrimination, changing the culture of society towards them, and considering these elements as main pillars for building a strong and cohesive society capable of achieving the goals of comprehensive development.
In this regard, the Cabinet Media Centre issued a report highlighting the rights and gains of Egyptian women within the framework of the series ‘Where We Were and What We Have Become’.
According to the report, the new republic laid the foundations for the real empowerment of Egyptian women in a way that befits their capabilities.
International positive reactions
The report revealed the positive change in the international view of the issue of empowering Egyptian women, as Ivanka Trump, advisor to the former US President Donald Trump praised the efforts of the Egyptian leadership and the President’s initiatives to establish a culture of equality, empowerment and non-discrimination, and the great support for women, which is actually reflected on the ground in Egypt.
For his part, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken warmly welcomed Egypt’s launch of a national strategy for human rights, indicating that work is being done with Egypt to achieve progress in many other goals.
Also, Former Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme Randa Abu Al-Hassan expressed her thanks to the Egyptian leadership for the strong and continuous support to empower Egyptian women to participate in all fields of politics, economy and social fields besides protecting women from dangers, whether by circumcision, harassment or infringement of her rights.
The United Nations Resident Coordinator in Egypt, Elena Panova, stated that there have been many achievements over the past ten years, explaining that among the most important and closest to her heart are the important steps in the field of women’s empowerment, adding that the recent legislative reforms and measures aimed at increasing women’s representation in decision-making positions are worthy of praise and appreciation.
In a related context, the representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Egypt, UNFPA Frederica Major affirmed support for Egypt’s current efforts to provide equal opportunities for girls and youth and for women to have the right to decide their own affairs.
The representative of the United Nations Women’s Organisation in Egypt, Christine Arab, said that Egypt’s achievements in placing gender as a basis for development is exceptional in all African and Arab countries.
The representative of the World Health Organisation in Egypt, Naima Al-Qaseer, indicated that there are several unique initiatives, including the 100 Million Health Initiative, which could be a model for many countries. Investing in health, especially women’s health, and empowering Egyptian women is a unique example to follow, she added.
Progress in int’l index
The centre’s report also reviewed the most important international indicators, as the gender gap index issued by the World Economic Forum improved, recording 0.635 points in 2022, compared to 0.606 in 2014, noting that the improvement in the value indicates an improvement in equality levels.
Egypt also advanced 22 places in the gender inequality index issued by the UNDP, occupying the 109th place in 2021, compared to the 131st place in 2014, noting that the improvement in the ranking indicates an improvement in equality levels, in addition to Egypt’s progress by 56 places in the women’s political empowerment index issued by World Economic Forum, where it ranked 78th in 2022, compared to 134th in 2014.
This came while the percentage of seats occupied by women in the House of Representatives increased, according to the United Nations, to record 27.4 per cent in 2021, compared to 14.9 per cent in 2017, in addition to Egypt’s progress by 17.8 points in the financial inclusion index for women over 15 years, issued by GIWPS, as it scored 27 per cent in 2021, compared to 9.2 per cent in 2017, which reflects the period from 2011 to 2014.
The report added that Egypt advanced 25 points in the entrepreneurship index, according to the World Bank, as it scored 100 points in 2023, for the second year in a row, compared to 75 points in 2014.
The report stated that Egypt advanced 6 places in the index of gender equality in educational attainment, issued by the World Economic Forum, as it ranked 103 in 2022, compared to 109 in 2014.
The report reviewed the harvest of economic rights, as the unemployment rate among females decreased by 5.5 percentage points, recording 19.3% in the fourth quarter of 2022, compared to 24.8 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2014, in addition to an increase in females working in the government sector by 7 percentage points, reaching 44.5 per cent in the third quarter. 2022, compared to 37.5 per cent in the third quarter of 2014.
According to the report, the number of women who own financial transaction accounts reached 17.2 million women in June 2022, compared to 5.9 million women in 2016.
Social , economic empowerment
The report added that 254 units for equal opportunities were established at the ministries, governorates, and municipalities to educate working women on all their rights and the importance of their participation in the development process. Also, the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency received the Gender Equality Seal Award from the United Nations Development Program.
On a related level, the report monitored the most prominent small, medium and micro projects for women, which include the national project for community, human and local development ‘Your Project’, where the share of women in the total projects reached 33 per cent, in addition to the total number of small and micro projects targeting women reaching 7,680 projects up to February 2023.
The most prominent activities for empowering women through the Decent Life Initiative also, according to the report, include the program for those about to get married, through which 5 courses were held for girls with a total of 650 beneficiaries.
With regard to financial education and entrepreneurship, the report indicated that 1,819 financial education courses were implemented at a basic and advanced level, benefiting 75,000 women, in addition to the implementation of 4,278 training courses within the entrepreneurship program, benefiting 102,700 women.
Political rights
The report stated that women’s political rights, with regard to legislative assemblies, included increasing women’s representation in the House of Representatives, to reach 165 seats in 2022, compared to 9 seats in 2012, as well as increasing women’s representation in the Senate to 41 seats in 2022, compared to 12 seats. 2012.
As for women in decision-making positions, according to the report, the representation of women in the ministerial formation has increased to reach 6 female ministers in 2022, compared to two female ministers in 2012. The National Council for Human Rights has also been reconstituted, to be chaired by a woman for the first time in the history of the Council since its inception. The first woman was also appointed as deputy governor of the Central Bank, in addition to appointing the first advisor to the President of the Republic for national security.
Combating violence against women
In addition to the above, the report discussed efforts to combat violence against women within social rights, as 31 units for combating violence against women were established in Egyptian universities in addition to 10 centers to host women victims of violence affiliated to the Ministry of Social Solidarity.
There are also safe clinics for women in 10 hospitals, in addition to establishing a unit for the protection of women from violence affiliated to the cabinet to receive complaints and reports related to cases of violence against women.
The report indicated that for the first time in Egypt, the National Committee for the Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation was established in 2019.
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