A distinguished panel of experts held within the Top 50 Women Forum and moderated by Ms. Lamise Negm, former advisor to the governor of the Central Bank, actively deliberated on workforce gender equality. The discussion emphasized practical strategies aimed at creating a more equitable future.
Ms. Dina Kafafi, chief of the USAID women’s economic and social empowerment program at Pathfinder International, emphasized the program’s focus on improving women’s work environments, expanding financial inclusion, and addressing the socioeconomic impacts of violence against women.
She highlighted the program’s co-design mechanism for building partnerships with the private sector. The program aims to support and finance initiatives that promote gender equality and align with national efforts like the Haya Karima Initiative.
Mr. Hisham El-Khazindar, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Qalaa Holdings, discussed Qalaa’s commitment to gender-neutral hiring practices, which has resulted in significant female representation on the Board of Directors.
He also praised Qalaa Scholarships, which allocates at least 50% of its yearly scholarships to women.
Furthermore, Mr. Tarek Fayed, the Chairman and CEO of Banque du Caire, praised the Egyptian state’s efforts to empower women over the last eight years, noting the increased representation of women in Parliament, government, and companies.
He shared the bank’s initiatives to train female staff in management and leadership, in collaboration with the Egyptian Banking Institute (EBI), and the bank’s focus on financing medium, small, and micro-enterprises with a digital product for microfinance to facilitate customer transactions.
Mr. Mohamed Shelbaya, CEO of PepsiCo North Africa, addressed societal constraints that limit women’s participation in various fields, advocating for equal opportunities based on competence.
He called for breaking stereotypes and creating a conducive work environment for women, highlighting PepsiCo’s “3amla shoghl” program, which aims to train girls across Egypt.
The forum concluded with a unified call to action, urging both the public and private sectors to take decisive steps towards integrating women into all workforce levels, thereby fostering a society where gender equality is not just an aspiration but a reality.
