First Lady Mubarak calls for more participation in development
Egypt, Culture, 6/10/2000

Egypt's First Lady Suzanne Mubarak on Thursday said that proofs were in abundance around the world that participation is the most effective way to maximize benefits from development-orientated initiatives.

Addressing a gathering of US organizations concerned with the UN activities, Mrs. Mubarak reviewed Egypt's experience in activating participation development efforts.

Her address also highlighted the UN-supported development projects and programs.

Attending the gathering for the first time were representatives of specialized UN agencies and international organizations.

Mrs. Mubarak is in New York leading the Egyptian delegation to a special session of the UN General Assembly on Women. The conference is assessing the progress made since a landmark meeting was held on woman and development in Beijing five years ago.

Mrs. Mubarak appreciated the assistance offered by the UN Development Program (UNDP) in working out action plans of Egypt's National Council for Women.

"Egypt is proud to have over 14,000 non-governmental organizations (NGOs)," she told the gathering. The challenge facing the country, she added, was enhancing the capability of those associations to be an effective tool for development.

She cited Egypt's interest in expanding community trends under a decentralization program to ensure community groups bigger role in decision-making and resource management. "This will radically energize service providers and make them responsible before community groups," she maintained.

Taking up successful social support projects in Egypt, Mrs.Mubarak cited a plan to provide integrated services to new communities, another to develop shanty towns and a third to furnish housing to limited-income people.

"The Egyptian Red Crescent Society has played a key role in working out a social rehabilitation program," she noted.

She highlighted the society's activities in fulfilling women's needs and enhancing their awareness of their legal and social rights in addition to providing them with health care services.

Mrs. Mubarak pointed to recent success in drawing businessmen's support for social development schemes. In this regard, she said that the private sector had recently set up an association carrying out an ambitious housing scheme for the limited-income brackets in new Egyptian towns.

"The scheme will provide 15,000 low-cost residential units in its first stage by the end of 2000," she noted.

Mrs. Mubarak, furthermore, highlighted the community school project that provides education for the disadvantaged communities, particularly for girls in south Egypt.

Some 200 schools have been built under the project which got off the ground in 1993 as a fruit of cooperation between the education ministry, communities, private associations and the UNICEF.

Following her address to the gathering of the US organizations concerned with the UN activities, Mrs. Mubarak told a question-and-answer session that Egypt was open to cooperation with any country and stage for social development and exchange of development-related expertise.

She said that the country had a well-conceived program to fight poverty and develop communities.

Highlighting Egypt's strategies for promoting women's education and health care, she said that Egypt was among the first signatories to a world convention designed to end all forms of discrimination against women.

She explained that Egypt has channeled an enormous budget into developing its southern part and providing jobs for young people there.

Asked on a recently approved personal status bill, Mrs. Mubarak said that the law was aimed at easing litigation procedures and ending suffering which divorce-seekers used to experience at courts.

She said that the annual Reading for All Program had published thousands of books that were encouraging children to read.

Mrs. Suzanne Mubarak spoke on Thursday with the New York Times. In her interview, she dealt with the UN extraordinary session and Egypt's efforts to implement the Beijing resolutions and improve the status of women.

At the top of these efforts comes the establishment of a fund to finance small-scale projects for women to improve their status.

Mrs. Mubarak also met with Aida Alfarees, from the US Institute for Small Industries. They discussed the role of the Egyptian National Women's Council in encouraging women to participate in investment projects to raise her economic, cultural, social and legal standing. Also, during her meeting with the board of Make A Wish Foundation, Mrs. Mubarak was briefed on the wide scale of the agency's charitable works and action plan.

With around 8,000 branches across the US and many others in some 20 countries, Make A Wish relies on donations offered by other agencies to finance its activities in fulfilling wishes made by terminally ill children.

Families of children recalled the dramatic U-turns their youngsters experienced when their wishes became a reality. Some children on the site said they wished they would visit Egypt and bask in the glory of its ancient monuments.

"The Make a Wish board, meanwhile, suggested to Mrs. Mubarak a chapter of the charitable foundation be set up in Egypt," said Egypt's Permenant Delegate to the UN Ahmed Abul-Gheit. Mrs. Mubarak voiced her backing to the suggestion.

Previous Stories:
  Egypt embraces religious teachings on women issues   (6/9/2000)
  First Lady Mubarak proposes a new international forum for women   (6/7/2000)
  The World Bank hails new Egyptian Civil Affairs Law   (6/6/2000)

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