Explores the remarkable surge in empowering women in Egypt over recent years. With robust backing from political leadership, the launch of the national strategy ‘Empowerment of Egyptian Women 2030” has catalyzed a series of legislations and initiatives in collaboration with the National Council for Women. These efforts aim to elevate women across political, economic, and social spheres while safeguarding them from all forms of violence. Egypt’s strides in empowering women and advancing gender equality have garnered admiration and acclaim from international organizations.

 in this context, Canada Egypt Business Council and the Egyptian Business Council for International Cooperation held a forum to discuss the topic “Empowering Egyptian Women: Navigating the Interplay of Reality and Hope” moderated by Dr. Mayan Raslan; President of Egyptian Feminist Union and Head of Women Committee in CEBC – ECIC.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Motaz Raslan; chairman of CEBC and ECIC mentioned that Women have an important role in society, so no development plans or any society can progress and flourish without real empowerment of women. Empowering women gives them the opportunity to release their energies to give and liberate themselves. Likewise, empowering them supports their participation hand in hand with men in building, developing and cohesive this nation.

He pointed out that with a legislative framework that supports their rights, and huge efforts to enhance their capabilities, there is no doubt that the issue of empowering women and achieving full gender equality faces great challenges at the global level. then he stressed that, of course, Egypt is not far from this, as the annual gender gap report for 2021 expects that achieving equality will take more than 135 years globally, and in the countries of the Middle East and North Africa it may take 142 years, as the gender gap reaches 40%.

He added that Discussions by International Monetary Fund experts revealed that developing women’s potential and exploiting them in the labor market achieves significant economic gains, and that raising the female participation rate in the labor force to male participation levels according to each country would raise the gross domestic product by 5% in the United States and 12% in the United States. The UAE and 34% in Egypt, indicating that Egypt has tremendous opportunities if the levels of females are equal to males in the labor market.

For her part; Dr. Mayan Raslan emphasized in her speech that the Egyptian Women’s Gender Union aims to defend the rights of Egyptian women in all parts of Egypt, and also works in cooperation with various other societal agencies to enable women of all categories to exercise their full human rights and assume their societal responsibilities. It also works on its effective participation in formulating policies, legislation and public decisions to achieve equality and democracy.

She added that the Gender Union of Egyptian Women celebrated its centenary in 2023, as it was founded by Mrs. Hoda Shaarawy in 1923 to be the first organized entity to work on demanding women’s rights and development, abolishing discrimination against them, and confronting all forms of violence to which women are exposed. It was closed in 1953 and its activity was revived by Dr. Hoda Badran. In 2011, she headed it until 2023, then Dr. Mayan Raslan assumed its presidency by election in December 2023.

Then the floor was given to H.E. Ambassdor. Mushira Khattab; President of the National Council for Human Rights said that Egyptian women have enjoyed unprecedented gains during the era of His Excellency President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of the Republic, the impact of which was evident in the translation of the constitutional rights guaranteed to them into many strategies, initiatives, laws and programs that support women’s rights. His Excellency President El-Sisi is President of the Republic with the rank of Minister of Women, and he addressed In person, Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Sheikh of Al-Azhar, on Egyptian Women’s Day.

Ambassador Khattab added that women’s rights are a fundamental focus within the National Human Rights Strategy, and we have come a long way in raising awareness of their rights, combating all forms of violence to which they are exposed, and eliminating female genital mutilation and child marriage. The Egyptian state has proceeded to develop the 2030 strategy for empowering women politically, economically, and socially. We have a strong political will that supports women and all their issues and spares no effort to achieve their hopes and ambitions, noting that population growth rates are the biggest challenge against human rights, and population growth rates must be controlled so that they do not stand as an obstacle to the state’s goals for comprehensive and sustainable development.

Dr. Maya Morsy; President of National Council for Women in Egypt declared, “Today, dreams have become a reality, and Egyptian women are living in their golden age, which secures all rights and duties for them, and they are proud before the whole world to be supported by a conscious, enlightened political will that supports them, which encouraged and enhanced women’s access to all their constitutional rights. After many years of demands, today we are honored and proud.” By empowering Egyptian women and assuming all positions in Egypt without discrimination, today we see female judges in the State Council and public prosecutors, and perhaps this is a turning point in the issue of women’s empowerment.”

Ms. Christine Arab; Country Representative-UN Women mentioned that the single hardest part on working on gender equality is that its personal to each person. Its driven by your personal experience. Its perception that advances and what holds you back.

It’s the market that moves things. The private sector will be the game changer. The government can only do so much.

Temporary special measures. Because of this there has been a huge gain of women on board. The majority of sectors are now responding to the temporary special measures.

 “It’s you more than anyone else that can change perceptions. If we can change our perception, then we will change our practice. When we practice to treat women as an equal this will lead to become a belief. If the state can intervene into society and make it a practice to start treating women as an equal, then it’ll eventually become a belief”. Ms. Christine said.

She also added that however, in order to help the agenda of gender equality and women rights, we must both solve the male and female economical situation in the country. If you disregard the man, who can’t find a job, they will tend to have extremist views and become anti-feminine.

She pointed out that for the private sector to wait till “things get better” economical for them to start focusing on other issues like gender equality will never work. They need to start working on this issue as they are working on other issues.

Then the floor was opened for questions and answers where many inquiries and ideas were discussed by the participants of the seminar.