‘Let your voices be heard loud’: Sisi to Egyptian women

CAIRO – 21 March 2018: President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi called on Egyptian women to participate in the electoral vote, due to take place from March 26 to March 28.

“Let your voices be heard loud in the elections,” Sisi said while addressing the Mother's Day ceremony.

Sisi also praised the mothers of martyrs from the police and armed forces, who have laid down their lives to combat terrorism and to maintain the country’s security and peace. The president also acclaimed the patience and persistence of the Egyptian women who are going through harsh economic circumstances as a result of the economic reform plan undertaken by the Egyptian government.

President Sisi saluted mothers of the martyrs for their courage and patriotism. “I have never seen the Egyptian women, who has lost a son/father/lover, show discontent,” he said.

Sisi stressed that the government has laid down a comprehensive strategy to empower women in all walks of life, asserting that such notions are at the heart of Egypt’s ambitious vision of 2030.

Female MPs are granted 25 seats in the Parliament and female ministers make up 20 percent of the government Sisi said, expecting that such quotas are expected to increase in the upcoming period.

He also noted that the government has long worked to promote social protection programs for Egyptian families and to empower women.

President Sisi honored women across the country in the Mother’s day celebration, which saw the attendance of Prime Minister Sherif Ismail, in addition to a number of ministers and senior state officials.

Among the women honored were different prominent women taking up distinguished roles and positions in various fields, in addition to women with disabilities.

The internationally recognized blind women-only orchestra titled “Al Nour Wal Amal” (Light and Hope) performed during the Mother’s day ceremony, attended by President Sisi on Wednesday.

After the end of their performance, President Sisi gave a standing ovation to the orchestra, which is currently led by old-stager maestro Mohamed Saad Basha.

"You are bringing us a tremendous amount of joy and happiness, giving us a message of hope; we take pride in you all,” Sisi said while addressing the 45-member orchestra.
The group, which was named after the association of Al Nour wal Amal, has performed in more than 25 countries around the world and is hailed as the world’s first, and largest, visually impaired women-only band.

Mother's Day is celebrated in Egypt on March 21 every year, as in much of the Arab World.