Egyptian Planning Minister Highlights Women's Empowerment Efforts: Aiming for Greater Inclusion and Economic Growth

H.E. Dr. Hala El Said, Minister of Planning and Economic Development, participated in the celebration of Egyptian Women's Day for 2024 in the presence of the President, the First Lady, ministers, governors, and with the participation of a number of Egyptian women and mothers.

At the beginning of her speech, Dr. Hala El Said congratulated every Egyptian woman and mother, affirming that Egyptian women represent symbols of giving to their families and offering their full support to their country, contributing actively to its building and development. She emphasized our current pride in the support provided to Egyptian women, positioning them at the core of all state plans and policies.

The Minister of Planning and Economic Development highlighted the projects and initiatives that put Egyptian women at the forefront, including the presidential initiative "Decent Life," which targeted around 26 million Egyptian women, aiming to improve the quality of life for Egyptian families. She also mentioned various presidential initiatives aimed at improving women's health services, such as the initiative to support women's health and support for maternal and fetal health, with over 47 million screenings conducted for women.

El Said pointed out the state's efforts in economic empowerment for women, including financing for small and micro-enterprises, reaching approximately 88 billion pounds by the end of 2023, benefiting nearly 5 million beneficiaries, compared to about 6 billion pounds for 2 million beneficiaries by the end of 2016. Additionally, she mentioned efforts in financial inclusion for women, with around 20 million women having bank accounts by the end of 2023.

She also highlighted successful partnerships to build the capacities of young female leaders, aiming to inject new blood of women into various institutions. She mentioned the partnership between the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development and the National Council for Women in various programs and projects, notably the project "Increasing Women's Participation in Public Life in Egypt," which aimed to develop women's leadership capacities and support their contribution to the state's developmental efforts.

El Said emphasized that all these efforts align with studies and reflect local and international indicators, revealing that increasing women's contribution to the Egyptian labor market will contribute to a 34% increase in GDP, which is also reflected in international indicators showing Egypt's progress since 2014.

She continued that in the Women's Index in the boards of directors, both in the Egyptian Stock Exchange and the banking and non-banking financial sectors, the index has increased from 19% last year to 23% this year, with a target to reach 30% of women in boards of directors by 2030.

Dr. Hala El Said extended appreciation and support from Egyptian and Arab women to every Palestinian mother and woman fighter, representing a heart pulsating with optimism and hope, teaching humanity valuable lessons in resilience.