A seminar was held to announce the steps required for the various tourist institutions in Egypt to acquire the Gender Equality Seal of the United Nations Development Programme - Press photo
CAIRO – 27 May 2019: The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has highlighted the step taken by Egypt, as the first country in the world to introduce the UNDP’s Gender Equality Seal in tourism sector in a tweet Sunday.
— World Tourism Organization (@UNWTO) May 26, 2019
Egypt’s strategy to empower women economically is guaranteed in its tourism reform program, which stipulates to “promote economic empowerment of women by increasing female workforce in the tourism sector. Tourism can empower women, particularly through the provision of direct jobs and income and can be a tool for women to become fully engaged and lead in society. Policy tools include: i. Diversity management; ii. Awareness campaigns tofight against sexual harassment; iii. Non-discrimination values in staff recruitment and training.”
By 2030, Egyptian women will become active contributors to the achievement for sustainable development in a nation that guarantees their constitutional rights, ensures their full protection, and provides – without discrimination – political, social, and economic opportunities that enable them to develop their capacities and achieve their full potential, according to Egypt’s program.
The National Council for Women (NCW) and the UNDP launched the Gender Equality Seal on Friday, in cooperation with the Ministry of Tourism represented by Minister Rania el-Mashat. NCW’s Maya Morsy said that the tourism sector is one of the main fields that attract a large number of women and business leaders.
The unemployment rate among women has decreased from 24.3 percent to 19 percent, said Morsy.
Women have turned to hold 15 percent of the parliamentary seats in 2018, compared to only 2 percent in 2013, which is considered the highest percentage ever in the history of the Egyptian Parliament, Morsy continued.
She also referred to the increase in the number of women ministers from 6 percent in 2015, to 20 percent in 2017, and then 25 percent in 2018, reiterating that it is also the highest percentage ever in the Egyptian history in this regard.
Recognizing a significant progress towards achieving gender equality in Egypt, the UNDP, in collaboration with the NCW, granted the “Gender Equality Seal” to the Egyptian Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (MSMEDA) in March.
Gender Equality Seal
The UNDP introduced the Gender Equality Sealto support a more efficient and equitable workplace thatcontributes to the advancement of gender equality and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
The Gender Equality Seal is expanding globally, after it piloted in Latin America, with more than 400 companies across ten countries have been certified since 2009.
According to the UNDP, the key areas for the Gender Equality Seal certification include:
• Eliminating gender-based pay gaps
• Increasing women’s roles in decision-making
• Enhancing work-life balance
• Enhancing women’s access to non-traditional jobs
• Eradicating sexual harassment at work
• Using inclusive, non-sexist communication
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