P
resident Abdel Fattah El Sisi said the state was keen on paying “special” attention on women while drawing up its policies on handling the coronavirus crisis to spare them the pandemic’s repercussions.
To achieve this, the government has earmarked large financial allocations to strengthen social protection provided for women out of a belief that investment in humans is the most important, and that women are the most affected when such crises occur, President Sisi told the opening ceremony of the 8th Ministerial Conference of the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation (OIC) on Women, held at the New Administrative Capital (NAC) Thursday.
New economic and financial policies were developed to further empower women economically and create job opportunities for irregular female workers. It also sought to support women’s health via the related presidential initiatives, the president noted.
The theme of the 8th OIC Ministerial Conference on Women is “Preserving the Achievements of Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in Light of the Covid-19 Pandemic and Beyond”.
President Sisi welcomed attendees, led by Minister of Women, National Solidarity and Family in Burkina Faso, Head of the 7th Ministerial Conference on Women, OIC secretary-general, Chairperson of Egypt’s National Council for Women (NCW) and Head of the 8th Session Maya Morsi, the ministers and heads of delegations, as well as representatives of regional and international organisations, Presidency Spokesman Ambassador Bassam Radi said.
Sisi said that it was real pleasure hosting the event at NAC, which reflects an image of modern Egypt, as well as the New Republic which is open for all, with no discrimination in light of the principles of democracy, justice, equality and citizenship.
He added that Organisation of Women’s Development is the first specialised organisation within the framework of OIC work to promote and protect women’s rights.
It is Egypt’s honour to host the conference, reaffirming eagerness to promote co-operation and solidarity among the OIC member states to achieve a quantum shift in all fields relevant to women in the Muslim countries and communities, President Sisi said.
The president noted that there is still a lot of work to do to realise the aspired goals in gender equality, adding that the OIC system offers a major platform for boosting women’s role in the Islamic world, Spokesman Radi said.
Sisi referred to the conference as a historical opportunity to highlight the real and correct image of women in Islam.
Islam gave women their rights more than 1,400 years ago, President Sisi continued, affirming that women’s empowerment is the key to build strong civilisations.
Egypt has spared no effort to support the nascent organistaion, at the technical or logistical levels, President Sisi said, adding that he gave orders that Egypt would pay contributions of 22 underdeveloped members in the newly-launched organisation.
Over the coming two years, Egypt, in its capacity as chair of the 8th OIC Ministerial Conference on Women, will focus on two major issues; women’s economic empowerment as a base for achieving the values of gender equality, and combating the negative impacts of terrorism on women, President Sisi said.
