Political, economic, social support essential for gender equality: First lady

CAIRO – 6 November 2018: Considerable political, economic and social support is essential to achieve gender equality in the Egyptian society and to empower women in different fields, Egypt's first lady Entisar al-Sisi said on Nov. 6.

This came during “Reducing the Gender Gap in the Labor Market” session at the 2018 World Youth Forum, attended by President of the National Council for Women Maya Morsi. During the session, the first lady expressed her pleasure with the distinguished young guests, who will build the future.

As for women empowerment, she referred that Egypt witnesses a great progress in the economic field, which will have a positive impact on women’s conditions, stressing that it is important to care for women, as they raise children who are the future of this country.

Previously, Egypt's first lady praised a group of young participants whom she met on the sidelines of the World Youth Forum (WYF) held in Sharm El-Sheikh city.

“Yesterday, I met with a sophisticated and promising group of Egyptian youth and we had a long fruitful conversation. They influenced me and I hope I have influenced them. Long live Egypt by the strength of its youth,” said the first lady.

The meeting was also attended by seven ministers to follow up on the ideas and suggestions of the young participants.

The second annual edition of the WYF will tackle two main axes: peace and development. The forum will bring together 5,000 youths represented by 60 delegations from across the world to explore key issues facing their generation, and determine their role in implementing the global development goals and in facing terrorism.

On Nov. 1 and 2, the forum witnessed pre-workshops related to the "agenda 2063: The Africa We Want" and "Empowering Persons with Disabilities: Towards a More Integrated World."

The opening of the World Youth Theater took place on Friday, November 2. The actual discussion sessions started on November 4, where participants will discussed a number of issues, including differences among cultures and civilizations, the role of world leaders in building and sustaining peace, the role of soft power in countering ideological extremism and terrorism, and Day Zero: Water security in the wake of climate change.

On November 5, the sessions tackled the role of entrepreneurs and start-ups in global economic growth, rebuilding societies and states after conflicts, narrowing the gender gap in the labor market and humanitarian assistance: A global responsibility in the face of challenges.

The forum's closing session and the announcement of the World Youth Forum 2018's recommendations will take place on Nov. 6.