Egypt’s Minister of Social Solidarity, Dr. Maya Morsy, held a meeting with Ms. Catherine Vautrin, the French Minister of Labour, Health, Solidarity, and Family Affairs, and her accompanying delegation. This meeting took place during the high-profile official visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to Egypt, highlighting the strong strategic partnership between the two nations.
The primary focus of the discussion was to explore and strengthen avenues of collaboration across various shared areas of work, within the framework of the robust strategic relations that unite the two friendly countries.
Dr. Morsy began the meeting by extending a warm welcome to her French counterpart, acknowledging the deep-rooted and strategic ties that exist between Egypt and France on multiple levels.
During the meeting, Dr. Morsy provided a comprehensive overview of the Egyptian Ministry of Social Solidarity’s key areas of operation. These included social welfare and protection initiatives, economic empowerment programs, services tailored for persons with disabilities and the elderly, efforts dedicated to women’s empowerment and early childhood development, and the significant role played by the Egyptian Red Crescent in responding to the crisis in the Gaza Strip and delivering crucial humanitarian and relief assistance to the Palestinian people.
Minister Morsy underscored Egypt’s firm commitment, under its current political leadership, to broaden the reach of social protection programs and enhance the effectiveness of targeting mechanisms. This strategic approach aims to achieve greater social justice and foster a strong sense of social solidarity within the Egyptian society.
Dr. Morsy elaborated on the “Takaful and Karama” conditional cash transfer program, which has successfully reached over 7.7 million families since its inception. The program’s emphasis on educational and health conditionalities, coupled with its flexible design, facilitates beneficiaries’ graduation from poverty through economic empowerment initiatives. She noted that approximately three million families have exited the program and overcome their need for assistance due to its success in improving their living conditions. Furthermore, efforts are underway to expand the coverage of social protection programs for targeted demographics and enhance the quality and accessibility of the services provided. Dr. Morsy also highlighted the transformative potential of the recently ratified Social Security Law, following its discussion in the House of Representatives, in revolutionizing Egypt’s social protection framework.
The discussions also addressed the empowerment of persons with disabilities, with Dr. Morsy outlining the measures taken, including the issuance of 1.5 million integrated services cards. These cards enable individuals with disabilities to access various privileges and exemptions in areas such as employment, education, and healthcare, provided under the social protection umbrella of the “Karama” cash support program.
The topic of women’s empowerment was a significant part of the meeting. Minister Morsy emphasized the remarkable progress women have achieved under the strong political will that actively supports their rights. She highlighted women’s role in safeguarding their accomplishments and the solid foundations for equality laid by the political leadership, enabling their increased participation in decision-making and their appointment to ministerial and leadership positions.
Furthermore, the meeting touched upon the importance of nurseries and early childhood development in supporting women’s participation in the workforce and their economic empowerment. The ministry is actively working to increase the nationwide percentage of nurseries from 8% to 25% to support mothers in joining the labor market. Dr. Morsy highlighted the inauguration of the Ministry of Social Solidarity’s childcare center at the New Administrative Capital, the first to be established on the Japanese model in the new capital, and extended an invitation to her French counterpart to visit and observe the services offered.
Minister Vautrin shared France’s experiences in the field of nurseries and supporting mothers in the labor market. Dr. Morsy expressed her keen interest in learning from these experiences to further enhance Egypt’s efforts in this crucial area.
Both ministers concluded the meeting by expressing their anticipation for fruitful cooperation and underscoring the significance of the partnership between Egypt and France. They affirmed their commitment to strengthening this collaboration in the coming period, building upon the strong and strategic relationship that unites the two nations.
