21 January, 2020; Cairo, Egypt – The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) today announced a partnership with Care Egypt Foundation (CEF) and Microsoft to launch a ‘Women Empowerment Campaign’. The initiative will contribute to social, economic and human capital development in Egypt by equipping the upcoming and existing female workforce with future-ready skills.
As part of the ‘Qodwa Tech’ initiative of MCIT’s Central Department for Community Development to empower women in Egypt, the campaign will see collaboration between MCIT, Care Egypt Foundation, and Microsoft with a focus on capacity building for women in digital fields of study and strive to encourage female entrepreneurship, as well as enable them to work across the country’s public and private sectors, including in heritage handicrafts. It is also aimed at raising awareness of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other future technology fields among the nation’s female workforce.
“Egypt’s Sustainable Development Strategy requires that we tap into all our national talent to foster a spirit of innovation that drives economic growth,” said Eng. Hoda Dahroug, Manager of the Central Department for Community Development at MCIT. “More and more female graduates are skilled in STEM; we have a responsibility to ensure their skills are put to good use, not only for their own empowerment, but for the benefit of society. The Women Empowerment Campaign will be a great contributor towards Vision 2030, and our partnership with Microsoft is a leap forward to encourage diversity in the country and bridge the gender-equality gap.”
“Digital transformation can be a great enabler of economic development, the progress called for in Egypt’s Sustainable Development Strategy,” said Mike Yeh, Associate General Counsel, Corporate, External and Legal Affairs (CELA), Microsoft Middle East and Africa. “Microsoft is committed to fostering diversity and inclusion in workplaces around the world, because we believe that such workforces are better able to innovate. Our partnership with MCIT and Care Egypt Foundation reiterates Microsoft’s efforts to empower the women of Egypt and ensure that everyone has a seat at the table.”
Microsoft’s collaboration with the MCIT and Care Egypt Foundation on the Women Empowerment Campaign builds on its ongoing strategic partnership with the Central Department for Community Development, which began in 2014. The partnership aims to support the ministry in creating a sustainable social model that contributes to addressing unemployment and economic challenges, by empowering women to achieve more.
“Our focus at Care Egypt Foundation is putting women and girls at the center of our efforts, so everyone has an equal right and opportunity to improve their livelihood”, said Dr. Hazem Fahmy, Director of Care Egypt Foundation. “This initiative, in partnership with MCIT and Microsoft is a strong component in our journey to empower women of all ages, by equipping them with future-ready skills to make a difference in society.”
“The empowerment of women and young girls is one of the core pillars of Care Egypt Foundation’s interventions. We promote a gender equality culture at our workplace and implement gender-responsive policies where we work. We believe that an inclusive development approach is vital to achieving Egypt’s Sustainable Development Strategy” added Dr. Fahmy.
