GIZ Egypt and Techne Summit recognized six Egyptian companies for their outstanding commitment to gender equality at the third edition of Techne Summit 2024 held at Cairo International Stadium.
The Empower-Her Champions competition, organised by GIZ Egypt through the Job Partnership and SME Promotion project (JP-SME) and implemented by Techne Summit, aims to address the significant gender disparities in employment and career opportunities faced by Egyptian women, despite progress in education levels.
Over 40 companies submitted proposals for initiatives to empower women in the workplace, with six ultimately chosen as winners. The four Empower-Her Champions – Entlaq, OBM Education, Gowa El7alla, and Plstka – and two Community Impact award recipients, Mattlob and Niotech, will receive 40% funding from GIZ to implement their gender equality initiatives.
Tarek El-Kady, Co-founder and CEO of Techne Summit expressed pride in partnering with GIZ Egypt on this initiative, stating, “By empowering women, we are creating a fairer society while driving economic growth and innovation. The enthusiasm and dedication shown by the participating companies are truly inspiring, and we are excited to see the positive impact of their initiatives in the coming years.”
Andreas Rueppe, Head of the PSD Private Sector development cluster at GIZ, emphasised the importance of inclusive workplaces, saying, “Elevating women in the workplace, we’re not just doing what’s fair—we’re doing what’s smart. Inclusive workplaces are more innovative, more dynamic, and ultimately, more successful.”
The award ceremony featured insightful discussions on overcoming biases faced by women in leadership and empowering women to pursue diverse career paths. The event served as a platform for thought leaders, entrepreneurs, and advocates for gender equality to engage in crucial conversations about the future of women in business and leadership positions.
The Empower-Her Champions competition marks a significant step towards creating a more equitable and inclusive workplace environment in Egypt. By recognizing and rewarding companies that actively promote gender equality, GIZ aims to inspire more businesses to adopt similar initiatives and drive meaningful change.
