President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi said that Egyptian women helped the economic reform programme succeed, stressing that he is aware of people’s conditions and listens to their problems.
His remarks came in a speech he gave at a celebration honouring Egyptian women on Wednesday.
“I am one of the people — not as a high official — I am part of this society. I hear and I see what Egyptian women are doing,” he said.
Al-Sisi pointed out that “the state of success that has been achieved during the past five years — even during the cruelty of terrorism and the sacrifices made — is due to the efforts of mothers and fathers,” adding that “there are fathers who grieve for their children — there is no doubt — but mothers, sisters, and wives are the soft and weak wings that suffer the most, and I listen and talk to them because they are a great gift.”
The president also said that this celebration expresses a small part of the state’s appreciation for the role of women in Egyptian society.
Furthermore, Al-Sisi honoured the best Egyptian female role models in various fields by awarding them with certificates of appreciations for their national and international accomplishments.
Those honoured included artist Farida Fahmy — the Co-Founder of the first and most famous performing arts group in Egypt and the Middle East, the Reda Troupe for Folk Arts — which succeeded in winning first place in many international forums and festivals while representing Egypt.
Lamis Gaber — a physician and writer, who is famous for her political, cultural, and historical writings — and journalist Farida Al-Shobashi — President of the Association for Civil Rights in Egypt — were also honoured for their achievements.
Additionally, the president affirmed that he directed the government to enact laws to combat harassment and physical abuse targeting women.
Since Al-Sisi assumed power in 2014, Egyptian women have seen much gain, placing them on the path to empowerment. Egypt currently has the largest number of female ministers in the history of the Egyptian government, and women have reached the position of governor in addition to many other leadership positions in various state institutions.
Addressing fears of shortages
On the side-lines of the celebration, the president asserted that Egypt has a sufficient amount of wheat for a period of four months, adding that the national project for wheat silos contributed to supporting the stock for longer periods.
He also said that Egypt will not face any food shortages in Ramadan, as there are no crises in the availability of food items and there is a strategic stock for all goods.
Al-Sisi also added that the Egyptian people helped the state achieve economic reforms which contributed significantly to overcoming the current crises.
