CAIRO: The Egyptian government will pay the annual contributions of 22 of the world’s least-developed countries to the Women Development Organization (WDO) — whether they are members or are about to join the organization.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi announced the move on Monday during a meeting with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and Maya Morsi, president of the National Council for Women.

Presidential spokesman Bassam Rady said that Morsi reviewed preparations for the 8th Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) ministerial conference on women, to be hosted by Egypt’s New Administrative Council on July 5-8.

El-Sisi issued directives on preparations for the OIC conference on women, which he said will consolidate Egypt’s position on women’s empowerment.

The forum will represent the culmination of the state’s efforts to enact national legislation that supports gender equality and ensures women’s empowerment in various sectors, topped by the Cabinet and House of Representatives, said El-Sisi.

During the summit Egypt will assume the presidency of the conference for the next two years, Rady said.

El-Sisi highlighted recent decisions allowing women to be appointed to the state council and the public prosecution for the first time in Egypt’s history.

During the meeting, Morsi said that the WDO represents a comprehensive framework for improving the status of women, and underlined Egypt’s pioneering efforts in establishing and promoting the organization.

She emphasized Egypt’s efforts to encourage other OIC member states to endorse the statute of the WDO, which came into effect in July 2020.

Morsi said the WDO aims to enhance the role of women in OIC member states, and strives to build the capacity of women and raise their efficiency through special programs on social, economic and political empowerment.

The WDO seeks to combat violence against women, reform religious speech, fight extremism and highlight Islamic values in drafting the rights of Muslim women around the world.

El-Sisi directed that a separate integrated building be used as the WDO headquarters.

He also ordered the establishment of a research center inside the WDO headquarters to conduct studies aimed at generating ideas to promote women.

The WDO must be connected to international organizations, especially UN bodies, to enrich WDO activities and draft cooperation programs with the UN, El-Sisi said.