CAIRO – 28 November 2021: Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Director of UN Women Sima Bahous praised Egypt’s efforts to empower women as she met on Saturday with Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry.
Bahous said she chose Egypt to be the first stop in her foreign tour, especially in light of Egypt’s pioneering role in enhancing women’s rights.
She lauded Egypt’s effective role in international and regional forums to support women’s rights and expressed aspiration for further cooperation between the UN Women and the Egyptian government during the coming period.
Shoukry congratulated Bahous on being the first Arab woman to assume this post, affirming the importance Egypt attaches to protecting and enhancing women’s rights in all fields and facing all forms of violence and other harmful practices against women.
Egypt’s National Council for Women (NCW) has earlier announced the launch of the 16-day campaign of activities to combat violence against women.
The world celebrates every year on November 25th coinciding with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, until December 10th, which coincides with the International Day of Human Rights.
Maya Morsi, head of the NCW, confirmed that the council is launching this campaign for the sixth year in a row to share with the world its efforts and activities to confront this dangerous global problem.
She noted that this campaign comes as part of the council’s tireless efforts to raise awareness of combating violence against women in all its forms throughout the republic through the campaign's awareness messages, to create a societal rejection of inherited negative cultures about violence against women, in addition to defining the health and psychological risks to them.
Morsi indicated that eliminating violence against women requires unifying efforts and solidarity among all concerned national institutions, NGOs and development partners, noting that the council is working through this campaign to implement many important activities and events with the concerned authorities and partners to raise awareness and publicize this important issue.
"I hope that the coming years will celebrate the final elimination of all forms of violence against women...because every Egyptian woman and girl deserves to live a safe life free of violence,” said Morsi.
The activities and events of the campaign this year will include the launch of the “I am aware and I am precious” campaign, which includes a song by artist Nesma Mahgoub, and the campaign also includes launching the results of the research “violence against women with disabilities” and preparing a series of live broadcasts on the council’s Facebook page to highlight the issue of violence against women, as well as holding a conference on "Egypt's legislative and legal achievements in the field of combating violence against women".
The campaign will also include implementing a simulation model of the National Council for Women from young people, in addition to lighting the National Council for Women and the Museum of Civilization in orange, organizing an exhibition of handicrafts and entrepreneurship products, and awareness activities at the local community level.
A series of seminars, meetings and workshops on "combating violence against women in all its forms" will also be organized, including meetings within universities, in addition to providing legal awareness in the governorates through the Women's Complaints Office.
It is also scheduled to organize a door-knock campaign and educational convoys under the title "Protect her from FGM" in 10 governorates.
It is worth noting that the 16-day campaign of activities against violence against women was launched by the United Nations, and aims to raise awareness and create a supportive public opinion everywhere to bring about change and combat all forms of violence against women and girls.
Sun, Nov. 28, 2021
