In a recent meeting at the National Council for Women (NCW), its Chairperson, Counselor Amal Ammar, hosted Valerie Hooper, Executive Director of the U.S.-based Institute for Women’s Health (IWH), alongside Anita Mbimbara, Chief Diplomatic Officer at IWH. The key focus of the discussions was exploring avenues for collaboration in the field of women’s health.
The meeting brought together Amb. Wafaa Bassim, the council’s Foreign Relations Committee Chair, Dr. Salma Dawara, Chair of the Health and Population Committee, and Dr. Naglaa Al-Adly, Head of the NCW’s Financial and Administrative Affairs Department. Other key attendees included Sherwitt Ibrahim, Director General of International Cooperation, Safaa Habib, Head of the Ceremonies and Media Department, Amal Abdel-Monem, Director of the Women’s Complaints Office, and Dr. Mona Hamdy, Health File Manager at the NCW.
Counselor Amal Ammar opened the meeting by warmly welcoming Valerie Hooper, expressing her enthusiasm for future cooperation with IWH, particularly in the exchange of expertise on women’s health. She underscored Egypt’s commitment to improving women’s health, citing the 2014 Egyptian Constitution, which guarantees comprehensive healthcare for women as a fundamental right. Article 18 of the Constitution ensures that every citizen has the right to health and quality healthcare, with the state obligated to allocate no less than 3% of GDP to healthcare, progressively increasing to meet global standards.
The discussion also highlighted the country’s progress in enhancing women’s healthcare services. In recent years, Egypt has seen significant improvements, largely due to several presidential initiatives aimed at addressing women’s health.
Additionally, the NCW presented its ongoing initiatives for empowering Egyptian women, including the National Family Development Project and the Presidential Initiative “A New Beginning for Building People.” Also emphasized was the “Noura” program, part of Egypt’s national strategy for investing in girls, which enjoys the support of First Lady Entisar El-Sisi. discussions also tackled the efforts to combat violence against women, including the vital role of the Women’s Complaints Office in addressing women’s grievances and queries.
Valerie Hooper shared insights into IWH’s role in prioritizing maternal and child health policies and highlighted the Institute’s Protego Project, which aims to build international partnerships for improving women’s and family health. She expressed her eagerness to continue collaborating with Egypt’s government in this crucial field.
Anita Mbimbara, in turn, expressed her pleasure at visiting Egypt, praising the NCW’s work in promoting women’s health. She emphasized the importance of collaboration and the exchange of knowledge in advancing women’s health across borders.
In this regard, Dr. Salma Dawara underscored the importance of a holistic approach to women’s health that addresses all aspects of a woman’s life—physical, mental, social, environmental, and emotional health. On the other hand, Amb. Wafaa Bassim also remarked on the council’s extensive work with various UN bodies in advancing women’s rights, stressing the vital role of women in achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
