Egypt reaffirmed its commitment to supporting women’s empowerment, gender equality, and education during a special event organized by the Better World Fund on the sidelines of the Cannes Film Festival in France.
The event was attended by Ambassador Dr. Tarek Dahroug, Ambassador of Egypt to France, alongside his wife, Mrs. Alia El Seirafi, and brought together a distinguished group of international diplomats, ministers, cultural figures, and artists.
During his speech, Ambassador Dahroug emphasized Egypt’s ongoing efforts to strengthen the role of women across various sectors. He praised the work of Egyptian institutions in raising awareness about education, equality, and women’s empowerment issues.
He noted that Egyptian women have achieved remarkable progress in recent years with strong support from the Egyptian political leadership, which has placed women’s empowerment among the country’s top national priorities. These efforts include expanding women’s representation in executive and parliamentary positions, as well as launching national strategies aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals and Egypt Vision 2030.
The ambassador also highlighted the growing role of Egyptian women in parliamentary life. Women currently hold 25 percent of the seats in the House of Representatives, contributing significantly to political participation and decision making processes. This achievement places Egypt among the countries with the highest female parliamentary representation in the Arab and African regions.
In the same context, Ambassador Dahroug referred to Egypt’s celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, describing it as one of the world’s oldest diplomatic institutions. He stressed that Egyptian women have become essential partners in diplomacy, with increasing numbers of female diplomats and ambassadors successfully representing Egypt at international forums.
The ambassador also reviewed the historic contributions of pioneering Egyptian women in education and the feminist movement. Among them was Nabawiyya Musa, one of the earliest advocates for girls’ education in Egypt and the first Egyptian woman to obtain the Baccalaureate certificate. She dedicated her life to advancing women’s education and social empowerment.
He further highlighted the contributions of Mounira Thabet, one of the leading figures of Egypt’s feminist movement, who played a major role in defending women’s rights and advocating for greater political and social participation. Through her writings and public activism, she strongly supported equality, education, and women’s right to work.
