Under the patronage of Egypt’s Prime Minister, Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, Dr. Maya Morsy, Minister of Social Solidarity, witnessed the opening of the first International Conference on Administration and Innovation in Social Security. The event, hosted by the National Authority for Social Insurance in Cairo, marks a significant step in global discussions on social security..
The three-day conference brings together representatives from 138 international bodies and organizations across 81 countries, solidifying its position as a crucial international event in the field of social security.
Conference Objectives and Significance
The conference aims to foster institutional awareness of the importance of building more sustainable and efficient social security systems through leadership and institutional innovation. A key focus is the role of human capital as a fundamental element in achieving these goals.
Dr. Morsy emphasized that this vision aligns perfectly with the Egyptian state’s approach over the past decade. She highlighted the government’s commitment to protecting its citizens from poverty and social vulnerability, ensuring a diverse and comprehensive safety net for the largest possible segment of the population.
Egypt’s Social Protection Budget
Minister Morsy underscored Egypt’s dedication to social protection, noting that the social protection budget for the current fiscal year has reached 635 billion Egyptian pounds. This funding supports housing, subsidized goods, health services, and both in-kind and cash assistance programs.
Takaful and Karama: The Largest Conditional Cash Transfer Program in the Middle East
Egypt’s Ministry of Social Solidarity administers the largest conditional cash transfer program in the Middle East, “Takaful wa Karama”. This program benefits 4.7 million families, encompassing approximately 17 million individuals across all governorates of Egypt, with women representing approximately 70% of the beneficiaries.
Over the past 10 years, Takaful wa Karama has achieved high levels of targeting accuracy, data quality, and digital integration with over 25 databases. The program has also built the largest database in Egypt, containing information on 12 million families and approximately 50 million citizens.
New Social Security Law
Dr. Morsy announced that Egypt recently secured parliamentary approval for the complete text of the new Social Security Law. This law promotes fairness and embodies a clear social philosophy: “The right to social security as a form of social protection.”
The law aims to improve the social safety net, expand social security coverage, and create flexibility in linking integrated social interventions to economic variables. Its goals include providing better protection for the poorest and lowest-income families, guaranteeing the rights of vulnerable groups, adopting a conditional support approach to invest in human capital and improve development indicators, and promoting equal opportunities within local communities.
International Cooperation for the Betterment of Citizens
Morsy affirmed that the conference serves as a platform for collaborative efforts to improve the lives of citizens. Participants will explore opportunities to maximize resource utilization and extend social protection coverage to the widest possible extent, encompassing all citizens at risk or those lacking social security.
