18/11/2024
Sunday, November 18, 2024
Press Release
The Forum for Development and Human Rights Dialogue (FDHRD) Issues Policy Paper on "Economic Empowerment of Rural Women"
On Sunday, November 18, 2024, the Forum for Development and Human Rights Dialogue (FDHRD) issued a policy paper on the economic empowerment of rural women and the government's efforts to ensure their economic independence.
The policy paper addressed several key points, including a detailed look at the obstacles and challenges faced by rural women in their journey toward economic empowerment. It also discussed the National Strategy for Women's Empowerment 2030, followed by an overview of the state's efforts to ensure the economic empowerment of rural women.
The paper emphasized that empowering women and girls is a central focus of the 2024 Sustainable Development Plan and is a critical component for breaking the cycle of poverty, hunger, and malnutrition, as well as achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. As such, empowering rural women is considered one of the essential elements for social and economic progress and sustainable development.
Regarding the obstacles and challenges, the paper pointed out that rural women in the 21st century face numerous global challenges, such as globalization and the information revolution. They also encounter regional challenges related to development issues and the promotion of democracy. On the local level, various cultural legacies, laws, and public policies present challenges that necessitate empowering women and supporting their participation in decision-making processes, enhancing their capacities and awareness, and ultimately helping them achieve their potential across multiple domains.
As for the state's efforts to economically empower rural women, the Egyptian government has launched several projects and initiatives to ensure the economic and social empowerment of Egyptian rural women.
The key statistics that illustrate these efforts are as follows:
• 45% is the share of women in the total projects of the Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises Development Agency, with an investment of 13.4 billion EGP until the end of 2022.
The government has provided microfinance through the development of microfinance portfolios directed towards women. The microfinance sector has significantly contributed to supporting women, with females accounting for 62% of the total beneficiaries.
• The unemployment rate among women decreased to 16.8% in the fourth quarter of 2020, compared to 24.8% in the same quarter of 2014.
• The percentage of women working in the public and government sector increased to 39.1% in the fourth quarter of 2020, compared to 38.6% in the same quarter of 2014.
• The percentage of women who had bank accounts reached 27% in 2020, according to the most recent available data, compared to 14% in 2014.
Regarding the small, medium, and micro projects targeted at women, **61,600** women have benefited from the national community, human, and local development project "Mashro'k." The share of women in the total number of these projects reached **38%**, with an investment of **3.8 billion EGP** since the launch of the project until February 2021.
- The percentage of women in financial inclusion increased to **27%**, and the percentage of women with transactional accounts rose to **47.5%** by mid-2021.
- Women's participation in the labor force reached **17.3%** in 2022.
- The gender gap in education has largely disappeared, with women representing approximately **50%** of graduates from both public and private universities.
The first phase of the "Haya Kheir" (Decent Life) initiative targeted **377** villages, which are the most in need and most vulnerable to extremism and ideological terrorism, with poverty rates exceeding **70%**. The initiative covered a total of **756,000 families** (approximately **3 million individuals**) across **11 governorates**.
The report concluded with several recommendations, the most important of which are:
1. **Focusing on small and micro-projects** and encouraging rural women to engage with loan programs, which would help empower rural women economically and socially.
2. **Developing policies and strategies** for small enterprise development to empower women in rural areas, and providing the necessary services to help women entrepreneurs achieve economic empowerment.
3. **Empowering rural women economically** and integrating them into the development process requires a focus on their education and training, enabling them to contribute both economically and socially to the well-being of their families and the development of their communities.
4. **Teaching rural women the necessary economic skills** to work within the framework of sustainable development.
5. **Enhancing the skills of rural women** to meet labor market demands, as well as increasing their participation in small and medium-sized enterprises.
6. **Taking necessary measures to eliminate illiteracy among rural women** by expanding literacy classes and encouraging women to join them, in order to equip them with various skills and knowledge.
7. **Encouraging associations and civil society organizations** to allocate part of their programs and activities to provide comprehensive social care services for rural women and their families.
8. **Developing cultural awareness** through targeted media programs focused on women, to raise the level of training in volunteer work, teamwork, and various women's activities.
9. **Intensifying awareness campaigns** to help overcome concepts, customs, and traditions that limit the role of women in development in general.
10. **Encouraging home-based production models** that are suitable for rural women's circumstances, as a tool for creating job opportunities, increasing income, improving economic conditions, and promoting the concept of small projects.