The National Women's Council (NCW) has commenced the second phase of the Women's Economic Empowerment Project in Fayoum, marking a significant step towards fostering financial independence for women. The inauguration event saw the presence of notable figures including Mai Mahmoud, General Manager of the Skills Development Center at NCW, Ahmed Al-Ansari, Governor of Fayoum, Mohamed Emad, Deputy Governor, Engineer Mamdouh Raslan, Chairman of the Holding Company for Drinking Water and Sanitation, Khaled Hamza, Director of the EBRD Office in Egypt, Sonita Beitamber, Assistant Director for Economic Inclusion and Women's Development at EBRD, alongside representatives from Fayoum's civil society, related agencies, and partnering organizations. Mai Mahmoud elucidated the Council's operational mechanisms, its responsibilities, and the foundational elements of the National Strategy for Women's Empowerment 2030. This strategy, crafted by the Council and sanctioned by the President in 2017, serves as the government's roadmap for the forthcoming years. Mahmoud emphasized that the project zeroes in on value chain analysis to pinpoint and leverage opportunities for women's gainful employment, thereby elevating their living standards. She spotlighted pivotal programs like "Women Entrepreneurs Moving Forward" and "Sound Financial Management," developed in partnership with the International Labor Organization, which are integral to the project's framework. The Women's Economic Empowerment Project, underwritten by the EBRD and in alliance with the Holding Company for Drinking Water and Sanitation, is executed by North-South Consultants Exchange (NSCE) and MF Strategy. The project's objective is to empower 200 entrepreneurial women in Fayoum through targeted training and field visits, ultimately aiming to level the playing field for women's employment opportunities in the region.
