Mrs. Suzanne Mubarak attends NCW 23rd meeting and meets with the female rapporteurs of NCW branches in the governorates

NCW held its 23rd meeting on Monday April 14, 2008 chaired by Mrs. Suzanne Mubarak, NCW President. The meeting focused on NCW's efforts to support female candidates during the local councils' elections for 2008. These efforts started with the end of the previous session of the local councils in 2005 and included organizing 30 training sessions for 656 women from all governorates and political parties. The training, which continued even after the postponement of the local councils elections, focused on raising the skills of female candidates; creating an atmosphere conducive to women's participation in the local elections; establishing a unit for offering consultations and technical support to female candidates during the elections (queries were to be received on the telephone hotline 08001166611); building coalitions and partnerships for exploring ways to support female candidates in the local councils elections. NCW also organized a conference to call political parties and encourage them to put women candidates on their electoral lists in these elections.

After the meeting, Mrs. Suzanne Mubarak met with the female rapporteurs of NCW branches in the governorates. She expressed her full satisfaction with role carried out by NCW in supporting Egyptian women, and said that although NCW celebrated this year the passage of 50 years for women's entry into the parliament and their attainment of their political rights, there is still a great deal to aspire for in this respect. She also pointed out that there are still many cultural, political and social obstacles impeding women from reaching leadership and decision-making positions. "That is why NCW 8th conference was held this year under the title of women in decision-making positions, and it was held in a decentralized way at the level of NCW branches in the governorates so that we can identify the percentage of women in decision-making positions in each governorate", she said, adding that the conference has succeeded in helping us identify the real problems facing women in each governorate, which will help us draw up the necessary plans to overcome these problems. She also hailed the leading role carried out by governors, the presidents of universities, the executive and popular leaders and the civil society as well as the excellent cooperation between NCW branches which contributed to the success of the conference.

In her statement during the meeting, Dr. Farkhonda Hassan, NCW Secretary General, stated that NCW next annual meeting will be entitled " Women and leadership", and will be held on an international level to discuss this issue from an international perspective and to ensure interaction with the outside world. She also pointed out that NCW will handle in the coming stage some of the currently raised issues e.g. price hikes, traffic accidents and the issue of subsidies to enhance the national dialogue about this issue as instructed the President of the Republic. She also indicated that NCW will participate with working papers in the national conferences such as the national conferences for population and education.

With regard to holding the 8th conference this year in a decentralized way, the Secretary General said that this offered an opportunity for achieving unprecedented cooperation among governors, experts of regional universities, executive leaders, members of the People's Assembly and the Shura Council, local councils and civil society organizations etc. It also helped identify the problems specific to each governorate and proposing solutions for them. Thus, a sort of a road map was drawn up for solving the problems of each governorate. NCW permanent Governorates Committee chaired by Dr. Mahmoud Sherif is currently studying these plans to come forward with a comprehensive vision, which ensures the equal participation of all citizens, men and women in drawing up plans for solving their problems.

Dr. Ahla Hanafi, the Rapporteur of NCW Cairo Branch hailed the role carried out by NCW in empowering women and changing the prevalent cultural practices and customs and traditions which impede women's from reaching positions of leadership. She also hailed the cooperation of Cairo Governor, the executive bodies, the governmental and private sector and the civil society who played a great role in making the 8th conference a success. According to her, 105 women from the governorate of Cairo won seats in the latest local councils' elections.

Dr. Fawzia Abudllah- the Rapporteur of NCW Suez Branch elaborated on the problems impeding women from reaching positions of leadership in the governorate of Suez. These included the lack of suitable criteria for nominating people in leadership positions. She also said that the main activity in Suez is the petroleum industry in which there have not been women leaders since 1912.

Dr. Salima Abdel Rehim, the Rapporteur of NCW Matroh Branch said that Matroh is a border governorate in which man takes priority in assuming leadership positions. She referred to some statistics which indicate the percentage of women leaders in governmental positions. Women, however, assume a great role in small enterprises and voluntary work. As to the political arena, the cultural traditions prevent women from participating in the political life, although a large proportion of them are registered in the voting lists.

Ms. Ferial Tobar, the Rapporteur of NCW Daqhaliay Branch emphasized that women need intensive training to be well-qualified to assume leadership positions. Women, she said, also need to be supported by men to reach these positions and they need to enhance their participation in the political life.

Ms. Karima Al-Bady- the Rapporteur of NCW Damietta Branch emphasized the need for women to participate in leadership positions and to identify women's needs and overcome the cultural traditions and customs impeding them in this respect. She firmly believes that women do possess many skills which qualify them to occupy leadership positions.

Dr. Inas El-Sheikh, the Rapporteur of NCW Port Said Branch highlighted the fact that women in her governorate occupy many leadership positions in the governmental sector, and they have their own projects in the private sector. Women's percentage in the local councils ranges from 8-10%. She recommended to organize training sessions to identify efficient women who are well-qualified to occupy leadership positions.

NCW 23rd meeting was attended by Major General Abdel-Salam El-Mahgoub, Minister of Local Development; a number of governors; Public, media, and judicial figures; Members of NCW and female rapporterurs of NCW Branches.