CAIRO – 28 January 2025: Egypt’s Minister of Social Solidarity Maya Morsi, participated on Tuesday in the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) session of human rights in Egypt at the International Human Rights Council [HRC] in Geneva, as part of the Egyptian delegation headed by Dr. Badr Abdel Aati, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration.
Morsi said in her speech that Egypt is proud of what has achieved in the field of the right to social security and protection in light of unprecedented global challenges.
Maya Morsi expressed her honor, as Minister of Social Solidarity, to review the national efforts to implement the recommendations accepted by Egypt from the last review in the field of social and economic rights.
“What has been achieved over the past decade reflects a huge leap, exceeding dozens of times what has been achieved in the field of social protection since the 1950s. Also, for the first time, the position of Deputy Prime Minister for Human Development has been created, which reflects the political will of the state to place the citizen at the heart of its development efforts,” Morsi said.
Minister of Social Solidarity confirmed that the allocations for public spending on social protection, which include food support, social and health insurance, housing, and cash transfers, have been doubled to reach EGP 635 billion in 2024.
The cash support program ‘Takaful and Karama’, which has been implemented for a full decade, has reached four million and seven hundred thousand families, in addition to 500 thousand families in cooperation with civil society, with 22 million individuals, at a cost of EGP 45 billion (annually).
She noted that the Social Security Law was also approved in Parliament with the aim of institutionalizing and sustaining cash social support, and transforming it into a legislative right, and includes additional measures to confront early marriage and female genital mutilation.
Morsi pointed out that the government is currently working on establishing a strategic financial system for economic empowerment, targeting five million families.
The national project, Haya Karima, the largest comprehensive sustainable development project in Egypt's history, has also received international acclaim, as it was registered on the ‘Accelerator’ platform to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals in 2020, and on the International Best Practices Platform in 2021.
Egypt’s Minister also highlighted launching a package of initiatives to promote the right to health under the slogan ‘100 Million Health’, which included "the initiative to eliminate Hepatitis C and malaria, detect non-communicable diseases, early detection of anemia, obesity and dwarfism, and support women's, mother and fetus health.
“These initiatives have achieved unprecedented successes in completely eliminating some diseases, which made them the subject of international acclaim,” Egypt’s official added.
According to Morsi, Egypt aims to reach 100% health insurance coverage, and work is underway to increase the coverage rate in the first phase to reach 35%, including farmers, fishermen, agricultural workers, irregular workers, and the poorest families.
Spending allocations for the pre-university education sector have also been increased from EGP 208.2 billion in 2018 to EGP 565 billion in 2024. Egypt has also been announced as the winner of the UNESCO Literacy Prize for 2024, and the number of Egyptian universities has increased from 48 to 116.
Egypt’s Minister of Social Solidarity explained that Egypt is working to integrate human rights into the education system, to consolidate the values of tolerance, dialogue, and the recognition of difference and equality between the sexes.
The Minister explained that the state issued the Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Integrated Services Card was issued, as one and a half million cards were issued until December 2024, which allows persons with disabilities to obtain privileges and exemptions that guarantee them opportunities in work, education and treatment.
Development and investment funds have also been allocated to finance programs for people with disabilities. For the first time in 2024, the state adopted the Elderly Rights Law, which guarantees their basic rights and ensures a decent life for them.
In line with the state's vision to enhance family development and alternative care, the first national sponsorship center was established, and the state is preparing an integrated law for alternative care.
Egypt has also witnessed the development of the civil work system, and the new law regulating the practice of civil work came, granting civil society organizations many advantages, including advertising by notification, working in all fields, and canceling all penalties that deprive and restrict freedom.
No civil society organization or institution in Egypt may be dissolved except by a court ruling, Morsi affirmed.
The number of registered civil society organizations reached thirty-five thousand civil society organizations, and the total proceeds of money collection licenses received by civil society organizations and institutions amounted to forty-six billion Egyptian pounds.
She explained that within the framework of partnerships between civil society organizations and international organizations, the number of international grants to civil society organizations reached 10,400 grants, with a total exceeding 35 billion LE.
In addition, the Fund for Supporting Civil Society Organizations and Institutions Projects provided grants exceeding 700 million LE during the years 2023 and 2024, and the Rural Industries Support Fund supported associations with an amount of 100 million pounds in 2024.
The first national alliance for civil development work for civil society organizations was also established, including 36 major associations and 3,000 grassroots associations.
Dr. Maya Morsi pointed out that despite the increasing challenges facing Egypt imposed by geopolitical factors, which greatly affected the results of economic efforts, it continues without interruption in its efforts to provide humanitarian and relief aid in cooperation with the Egyptian Red Crescent in its immediate vicinity and at the regional and international levels.
She stressed that Egypt is determined to implement plans that put people at the heart of sustainable development efforts and enhance economic programs, increase women's participation in the labor market, family development, and the care economy in a way that contributes to enhancing social justice.
“We carry the values of our ancient nation and the aspirations of Egyptian generations dreaming of a better future and the hopes of citizens who enjoy the full right to development,” Egypt’s Minister of Social Solidarity said concluding her speech
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