The Ministry of Health and Population marked on Monday National Population Day with an event that brought together parties concerned with population work in Egypt.
During the opening of the celebration, Tarek Tawfik — Deputy Minister of Health for Population Affairs — said that the Egyptian government succeeded in reducing the unemployment rate from 13% in 2014 to 7.4% in 2021.
He added that Egypt has adopted many policies and programmes in support of women’s economic empowerment, which led to a reduction in the unemployment rate among women from 24.2% in 2015 to 16% in 2021.
Tawfik also referred to the unprecedented economic, social, and environmental changes and challenges that the world is experiencing, which require more solidarity from everyone to meet the aspirations of the Egyptian people for advancement and prosperity.
“As a result of these challenges, the Egyptian state has paid great attention to sustainable development to preserve the environment, reduce poverty, and provide the needs of current and future generations,” he added.
Moreover, Tawfik asserted that the state has adopted several social protection policies for the most vulnerable groups in light of the coronavirus pandemic.
He also emphasised his appreciation of efforts to forge partnerships between governmental, non-governmental, and international institutions in this event, expressing his hope that these collaborations bear fruit that can draw a road map for a future that everyone can embrace and seize opportunities for sustainable development.
Furthermore, Tawfik pointed out that the Cairo International Conference on Population and Development in 1994 was a turning point in the philosophy of population development, as it shed light on the close interrelationship between population policies and development policies, and there was a great shift thanks to this conference in dealing with overpopulation not only as a demographic issue, but as an issue of rights, equality, and dignity.
He also stated that the work programme of the International Population Conference in Cairo is still a mainstay in the 2030 Sustainable Development Plan, and that linking population, human rights, steady economic growth, and sustainable development is a more comprehensive and coherent vision to address these issues.
