The European Union (EU) and the Egyptian government marked a significant milestone in their partnership for women’s empowerment during the closing ceremony of the event under the theme of “Increasing the Participation of Women in Public Life in Egypt.”
In his closing remarks, Amb. Christian Berger, Head of the EU Delegation to Egypt, highlighted the project’s importance as the first EU-funded initiative solely focused on women’s leadership, gender mainstreaming, and gender statistics. He emphasized the project’s continuation of the long-standing EU-Egypt partnership supporting women’s citizenship rights through the National Women Citizenship Initiative.
The ceremony acknowledged the National Women Citizenship Initiative’s critical role. By facilitating the issuance of national IDs to women, the initiative empowers them to access education, work opportunities, social services, and political and civic rights.
The project’s success was attributed to the strong collaboration between various national partners, international expertise from the International Training Centre of the ILO, and the Egyptian Center for Public Opinion Research.
Berger emphasized the project’s conclusion as a stepping stone for future partnerships. He announced a new €10 million EU-Egypt flagship program, “EU Support to Women Empowerment (EU-Egypt Tamkeen),” for further strengthening women’s skills and capacities in various areas. This program will continue supporting the National Women Citizenship Initiative and the Leadership Program.
The ceremony concluded with Ambassador Berger expressing his appreciation to the Egyptian government, particularly Dr. Maya Morsy’s leadership, for making the new cooperation a reality. He also thanked all partners involved and congratulated every woman who contributed to this milestone in the EU-Egypt partnership.
This closing ceremony signifies a positive step towards increased women’s participation in Egyptian public life. The new EU-Egypt Tamkeen program promises further advancements in empowering women across the country.
