• Minister Hala Al-Saeed said that the establishment of equal opportunities units across Egyptian regions will play a major role in the transformation
• The units aim to support sustainable development goals regarding gender equality and find an institutional framework to follow up on the equal opportunities initiative

Mohammed Abu Zaid

CAIRO: Egypt is aiming to reach equality between men and women in economic, social and political affairs by 2030, Hala Al-Saeed, Egypt’s minister of planning and economic development, has said.

She added that the establishment of equal opportunities units across Egyptian regions will play a major role in the transformation.

The units aim to support sustainable development goals regarding gender equality and find an institutional framework to follow up on the equal opportunities initiative.

Al-Saeed said that Egypt’s equality goals are part of the country’s Vision 2030.

Khaled Mustafa, permanent undersecretary at the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development, said that the main purpose of achieving equal opportunity is to “develop society.”

All subsequent policies are indirect attempts to achieve the desired goals, he added.

Every person, Mustafa said, “has different capabilities and interests,” so the general promotion of inclusion and participation in society “contributes to achieving the maximum benefits.”

Shaima Siraj, director of the equal opportunities program, said that authorities decided to establish the units six months ago, and that their tasks “are defined to reflect gender equality.”

She added: “The idea of the institutional strengthening program for equal opportunities units crystallized in the past six months.”