The National Council for Women participated in the activities of the ceremony organized by the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) and the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector to launch their annual work program for the year 2023 in Egypt. The program was a collaboration between NCW and the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development.
Head of the council, Dr. Maya Morsi reviewed the efforts of Egypt and the Council in women’s economic empowerment and participation in the labor market, explaining the Council’s keenness to help women develop Egyptian heritage crafts and market their products in local, regional, and international fairs and markets.
As for the “She Trades Egypt” project, which the NCW recently finished implementing its first phase in cooperation with the International Trade Center and several partner agencies, Maya stated that it is an exceptional model for distinguished partnerships.
She explained that the council trained and qualified 100 businesswomen during the project whose fields of work varied between making jewelry, carpets, and leather and Handmade clothes, among other products, through many training workshops in various fields to help them develop and market their projects, with the help of a group of international experts, specialists, and designers such as international designer Mark Kwame.
The program aims to introduce them to global trends in designing handicrafts so they can enter the global market by organizing exhibitions for their products.
Also, lecturers from the Enterprise Development Authority were hired to introduce them to the rules of marketing and the services of the agency, whether it is financial services, marketing, exhibitions, or business development.
The workshops also included the presentation of models of female entrepreneurs who excelled in managing their businesses and reached an international level, such as the jewelry designer, “Azza Fahmy”, an inspiring role model for women.
Morsi confirmed that the success of the first phase of the project was the motive behind completing the success and investing in it and starting the second phase, which aims to increase the competitiveness of Egyptian exports in the handicrafts and agricultural food sector.
She indicated that the project focuses on achieving three main outcomes, represented in continuing to support the beneficiaries of the first phase of crafts.
The outcomes include giving women access to international markets, enhancing the business environment and the performance of trade and investment support institutions in the agri-food sector, spiking the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises owned or run by women in the agri-food sector, and improving trade links and readiness for export.
Morsi concluded her speech by wishing success for the ongoing work program of the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation for the benefit of Egypt, her aspiration towards the success of the second phase of the project, and the provision of economic empowerment opportunities for more women within the project with the expansion in various sectors and the establishment of exhibitions for women entrepreneurs benefiting from the project, abroad.
