Egypt, represented by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT), participated in the roundtable organized by the Arab Council for Childhood and Development (ACCD), the Center of Arab Women for Training and Research (CAWTAR) and the Arab Gulf Program for Development (AGFUND), on February 24, online, under the title “Arab women and 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: Digitization challenges post COVID-19."
During the roundtable, MCIT presented a research paper titled "Digitization and modern technology: a mechanism for the advancement of women in the Arab Republic of Egypt.” The paper addressed a number of topics pertaining to the status of women in Egypt as a result of a number of factors, and the challenges facing achieving gender equality, that are linked to poverty, level of education, customs and traditions, and other obstacles that may hinder protecting and supporting women's rights, despite the tireless efforts of the State and its institutions in this regard.
The paper also discussed the role of technology in women's empowerment based on the State's vision of digital transformation, in line with the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the need to improve the quality of life in social, economic and political aspects through promoting investment in Egyptians’ innovation skills.
Moreover, the social initiatives launched by MCIT for capacity building and women’s empowerment, based on developing digital innovation skills through an advanced technological infrastructure, were presented, along with stressing the importance of raising community awareness of technological solutions.
The paper discussed policies on women’s empowerment amid COVID-19. It also discussed the updates introduced during carrying out woman-centered community development projects in different areas, where basic technology access tools are provided, as well as training and innovative solutions, which respect the privacy of women-related customs and traditions in such communities.
Furthermore, the research paper shed light on the best experiences and practices adopted by MCIT in women's empowerment initiatives, especially in remote areas (Siwa Oasis in Marsa Matrouh, and Nuba, Aswan), carried out in integration with a number of pillars, namely health, literacy, supporting craft projects and training on the basics of modern technology.
The paper, in addition, discussed a number of recommendations that included the need to promote remote learning and work programs to qualify women and create more jobs for them, with developing business models to keep pace with the rapid changes in health and education, and respond to crises, such as COVID-19, and their repercussions.
The roundtable aimed to discuss the repercussions of COVID-19 and the resulting health, economic, social, educational and technological challenges and their impact on marginalized groups such as women and children, in light of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
