To strengthen women’s representation and advocacy in Egypt, a presidential decree was issued to appoint Judge Aml Mahmoud Atta Ammar to chair the National Council for Women (NCW) for a four-year tenure. Further, 29 distinguished women in leadership positions at various sectors such as politics, law, business, and academia, to ensure a diverse and comprehensive approach to advancing gender equality and women’s rights in Egypt.
The newly reformed Council will play a crucial role in enhancing the status of women in Egypt through policy development, advocacy, and support for initiatives aimed at closing gender gaps in society. Proudly 3 of the Top 50 Women Forum’s members are among the selected NCW’s members:
Neveen Gamea:
Neveen Gamea made history as the first woman to assume the position of Trade Minister in Egypt. Neveen Gamea brings extensive experience in supporting small and medium-sized enterprises . She has played a crucial role in various industrial initiatives, including financing new industrial parks and supporting manufacturers in industrial cities to acquire industrial units.
Eng. Marian Amir Rafael Azar
Eng. Marianne Azer is a distinguished academic and leader in the fields of Communications and Information Technology. She currently holds positions as an Associate Professor at Nile University (NU) and the National Telecommunication Institute (NTI), where she also serves as Director of the Information Center. Additionally, she is a valued member of the board of directors of the Egyptian Financial Supervisory Authority (EFSA). She was ranked amongst the top 10 public speakers in Egypt. Azer was elected as Head of Youths and Women Committee of the International Parliament for Tolerance and Peace (IPTP) in July 2018.
Mary Louis Shahat Bishara
Marie Louis Bishara, a graduate of Esmode Paris in Fashion Design, established her own clothing line in 1989. Prior to this, she had collaborated extensively with her family’s business, Bishara Textile Garment Manufacturing Company (BTM).
The presidential decree highlighted that the decision is to be implemented immediately, with the Council’s first order of business being to establish effective frameworks that will support multi-level governance in Egypt, focusing on both national and local governance structures.
This is a pivotal moment for Egypt as it continues to prioritize women’s issues on the national agenda, in line with its commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Egypt’s Vision 2030 to make real progress toward gender equality and sustainable development in the coming years.
