Latest news with #MayaMorsy
Al-Ahram Weekly
10-07-2025
- Business
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Egypt to disburse EGP 1.1 million to families of Ramses fire victims - Society
The Egyptian government will compensate the families of four Telecom Egypt employees killed in the fire at Ramses Exchange Central with EGP 1.1 million (approximately $22,000) per family. Injured individuals will each receive EGP 175,000 (around $3,500), according to a joint statement by the communications and social solidarity ministries. Telecom Egypt, the country's primary telecom service provider, will contribute EGP 1 million ($20,000) to each victim's family and EGP 150,000 ($3,000) to each injured employee. Additionally, the social solidarity ministry will provide an extra EGP 100,000 ($2,000) for each deceased's family and EGP 25,000 ($500) per injured worker. The move follows directives from President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi to support those affected by the devastating blaze. Solidarity Minister Maya Morsy has instructed the head of the Central Administration for Social Protection to ensure swift follow-up and expedited processing of these payments. Both ministers extended their heartfelt condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the line of duty and wished a speedy recovery to those injured in the incident. A fire erupted Monday afternoon on the seventh floor of the Ramses Central telecommunications exchange building in downtown Cairo. The incident led to widespread disruption of the internet and phone services nationwide. The blaze claimed the lives of four engineers and injured at least 27 others, according to official statements. Preliminary investigations suggest the fire was caused by an electrical short circuit, although a full technical report has yet to be released. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Middle East
28-06-2025
- Politics
- Middle East
OPEN// Compensations for families of Menofia crash victims upped to EGP 500,000
CAIRO, June 28 (MENA) - Social Solidarity Minister Maya Morsy and Labour Minister Mohamed Gebran on Saturday directed the bodies concerned to swiftly process increased compensation payouts for victims of the Menofia road accident. The new compensation will provide EGP 500,000 to each family of the deceased and EGP 70,000 for each injured person, in line with directives by President Abdel Fattah El Sisi to add EGP 100,000 per fatality and EGP 25,000 per injury to amounts previously allocated by the ministries. The accident occurred on Friday on the regional highway in Ashmoun, when a microbus collided with a heavy truck, claiming the lives of 18 young women and the driver and injuring three others. All victims were from Kafr al-Sanabsa village in Menouf, travelling for day-labour work. (MENA) M S H/R E E
Al-Ahram Weekly
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
FGM rate in Egypt drops from 61% to 37%: Minister
The prevalence of female genital mutilation (FGM) among girls aged 15-17 in Egypt has fallen sharply to 37 percent in 2021 from 61 percent in 2014, Social Solidarity Minister Maya Morsy announced on Thursday. Morsy added that public support among women for the practice has also dropped sharply from 75 percent in 2000 to just 30 percent in 2021. 'These encouraging figures show we are on the right path, though many challenges remain,' she told the 10th meeting of the National Committee for the Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). During the meeting, she also launched the fourth edition of the "Pioneers of Change Award," honouring Mary Assaad, Aziza Hussein, and Nabil Samuel for their efforts against the practice. Emphasising the severity of the issue, Morsy stated that FGM is not merely a women's issue but "a full-fledged crime against childhood, against the body, and against the future." "Female genital mutilation is not just a social custom or family ritual. It is a wound that reopens daily in our beloved country," she added. Maya Morsy recalled the tragic case of Bodour, a girl who died in Minya Governorate in 2007 during an FGM procedure performed by a doctor. This incident led to the designation of June 14 as Egypt's National Day for Combating FGM. Minister Morsy said the tragedy 'sparked a national awakening to confront this crime with united hands to protect our young girls, who deserve our protection and dignity,' she said. Egypt has implemented robust legal and institutional measures to combat FGM. The practice was criminalised in 2008, and penalties were stiffened in 2016. In 2019, the National Committee to Combat FGM was formed through a collaboration between the National Council for Women and the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood. A key achievement of the committee was the passage of a law in 2021, increasing the maximum penalty for FGM to 20 years. The current law mandates 5–7 years of imprisonment for anyone who performs FGM, with penalties of up to 10 years for medical professionals involved. If the procedure results in death, the sentence increases to 10–20 years. Clinics where FGM is performed may be shut down for up to five years, with the reasons for closure publicly posted. In September 2021, a landmark court ruling sentenced a nurse to 10 years in prison for performing FGM on a minor and sentenced the girl's father to 3 years for authorising the procedure. The committee has also developed several anti-FGM national awareness campaigns. Despite the progress, Morsy cautioned that the danger of FGM is "far from over." She cited estimates that seven million girls are still at risk of undergoing FGM between 2015 and 2030. "This compels us to accelerate our efforts at fifteen times the current pace to meet the global goal of eliminating FGM by 2030," she stated. In her closing remarks, the Minister announced full support for the committee's future efforts. She proposed utilising the national cash transfer program Takaful and Karama—which reaches nearly 30 million beneficiaries—as a tool for awareness and prevention. Suggestions included integrating anti-FGM messages into programming conditions and offering in-kind incentives to families that refuse FGM. She also recommended developing training materials for Takaful and Karama recipients and empowering female community leaders to serve as the frontline voice of the campaign. Furthermore, she stated that the women's centres, affiliated with the solidarity ministry to assist victims of violence, would operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with the 16439 hotline to be available to receive and respond to such cases. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Zawya
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
New phase of ‘Ezraa' initiative launched to empower small-scale farmers, bolster Egypt's food security
Egypt - A new phase of the 'Ezraa' ('Plant') initiative has been launched under a cooperation protocol signed by Minister of Social Solidarity Maya Morsy, Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation Alaa Farouk, Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the National Alliance for Civil and Development Work Khaled Abdel Aziz, and Reverend Andrea Zaki, President of the Evangelical Community in Egypt and the Coptic Evangelical Organisation for Social Services (CEOSS). This strategic partnership reinforces collaboration between the state and civil society to promote food security and support small-scale farmers across Egypt. The initiative is designed to encourage smallholders to play a more active role in cultivating key strategic crops—particularly wheat—through access to high-yield seeds, technical guidance, and the rollout of field schools. These measures aim to boost productivity per feddan, increase incomes, and improve farmers' living standards, while also reducing Egypt's dependence on imported staple crops. Minister Maya Morsy stressed that this cooperation aligns with the Ministry of Social Solidarity's wider efforts to strengthen social protection and reach the country's most vulnerable populations. She revealed that 18% of the farmers participating in this phase of the Ezraa initiative are already enrolled in the 'Takaful and Karama' social support programme. She added that the Ministry, via the Rural and Environmental Industries Support Fund, will subsidise 50% of seed costs for small-scale farmers. The fourth phase of the initiative targets the cultivation of one million feddans of wheat, with a strong emphasis on enhancing productivity. Minister Alaa Farouk emphasised the collaborative nature of the initiative, which brings together the Ministries of Agriculture and Social Solidarity, the National Alliance for Civil and Development Work, and CEOSS. He affirmed that its primary objective is to support small-scale farmers by improving both the quality and quantity of their agricultural output. Farouk also underscored the need to maintain the sustainability of strategic crop cultivation—particularly wheat—given its vital importance. He noted that improving the efficiency of land and water use is essential to ensuring long-term agricultural gains for rural families and promoting national self-sufficiency in key crops. To support these efforts, the Minister has directed the Agricultural Research Centre, Agricultural Services Sector, and all relevant departments within the Ministry to provide comprehensive support and technical supervision throughout all stages of wheat cultivation. He also stressed the importance of establishing measurable performance indicators and ensuring the empowerment of rural women in all programme activities to maximise benefits for Egyptian villages. Khaled Abdel Aziz, Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the National Alliance for Civil and Development Work, said the agreement enhances the Alliance's efforts to unify civil society contributions in service of Egypt's citizens. He praised the Ezraa initiative as a successful model of sustainable development achieved through effective partnerships between the government and civil society, with the ultimate goal of helping small-scale farmers attain wheat self-sufficiency in the coming years. Reverend Andrea Zaki, President of the Evangelical Community in Egypt and CEOSS, described the new protocol as a powerful example of collaboration between the state and civil society. He reaffirmed CEOSS's commitment to supporting Egypt's most vulnerable communities, particularly in rural areas. 'We are dedicated to implementing community engagement, awareness-raising, and training activities under the initiative to improve farmers' quality of life, advance social justice, and promote sustainable agricultural development,' he said. This new phase of the Ezraa initiative represents a significant step toward integrating national efforts to strengthen food security, alleviate rural poverty, and raise the incomes of small-scale farmers. It does so through a comprehensive approach that includes resource provision, skills development, and measurable impact across local communities.
CairoScene
12-05-2025
- Business
- CairoScene
Takaful & Karama Payouts to Rise to EGP 900 Per Person in July
The increase comes as part of Egypt's broader push to expand social welfare coverage, now among the largest in the Arab world. May 12, 2025 Starting July 1st, monthly payments under Egypt's Takaful and Karama social support programme will rise by 25%, bringing individual payouts to EGP 900. The announcement was made by Social Solidarity Minister Dr. Maya Morsy, who also noted that families receiving additional child support and elderly care allowances may see their total benefits reach up to EGP 3,000. The move comes as Egypt ramps up spending on social protection, which now accounts for 9.5% of the country's GDP. The 2024 budget allocates EGP 635 billion to welfare programmes spanning healthcare, education, and direct financial support. The Takaful and Karama programme, which provides income support to low-income families, the elderly, and people with disabilities, has been recognised by the World Bank as the largest of its kind in the Arab world—both in scope and financial scale. This latest increase underscores the government's efforts to shield vulnerable communities amid ongoing economic pressures.
