Counselor Amal Ammar, Chairperson of the National Council for Women (NCW), received Dr. Mohamed Mostafa, Director of the Agricultural Women’s Empowerment Project (OWAP), along with Gender Advisor Riham Karam and Project Development Consultant Nadine Mohamed, in a meeting attended by Mai Mahmoud, Director General of the Women’s Skills Development Center at the Council. The session focused on exploring avenues for enhanced cooperation between the NCW and OWAP.
Counselor Ammar warmly welcomed the OWAP delegation, expressing her appreciation for the significant achievements the project has realized to date. She particularly commended the efforts of the Beni Suef governorate in supporting the project and praised the quality of the women beneficiaries’ products she personally witnessed during her recent visit.
Emphasizing the pivotal role of cooperatives, Ammar highlighted their impact in empowering women economically and socially, especially within rural communities. She described cooperatives as an effective model for advancing economic and social justice and underscored the importance of sustaining these cooperatives in both Beni Suef and Minya governorates.
Dr. Mohamed Mostafa outlined the tangible outcomes of the project, noting the establishment of three women’s cooperatives in Minya and two in Beni Suef. He reported their active participation in multiple exhibitions and confirmed that clear operational plans are in place. He further stressed that OWAP uniquely integrates development with commercial viability, creating sustainable opportunities for women in agricultural manufacturing.
Consultant Nadine Mohamed extended gratitude to the NCW for its continuous support over the years and discussed plans for the upcoming project phase, which will involve close collaboration with the Council and other stakeholders.
Gender Advisor Riham Karam praised the NCW’s Egyptian Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Seal, noting that several factories in Minya and Beni Suef have received this certification. She emphasized that this recognition has facilitated the creation of safe working environments for women in agricultural manufacturing. Karam also highlighted a milestone achievement: the project’s empowerment of female supervisors managing agricultural enterprises, marking a significant advance in women’s leadership in the sector.
This meeting underscores the National Council for Women’s ongoing commitment to fostering strategic partnerships that promote women’s economic empowerment and social inclusion through innovative development projects.
