As per the recent attempts by the Egyptian government to shape a more exclusive economy, this financial year Egypt broke its spending record on social inclusiveness efforts. Recent announcements made by the minister of social solidarity indicate a very positive outlook Egypt had spent through EGP 1 billion in 2 monetary years on 96 ventures for the crippled Minister of Planning and Economic Development Hala El-Said expressed Wednesday that the public authority coordinated projects of about EGP 1 billion in Financial Year 2019/2020 and Financial Year 2020/2021 to actualize 96 projects for individuals with special necessities or as the President El-Sisi previously expressed individuals with extraordinary abilities.
The efforts and spending came as part of the "conceptual manual for a sustainable development plan responsive to different social groups'' initiative which was prepared in cooperation with the "Macroeconomic Reform and Stability" project funded by the United States Foriegn Agency for International Development. The official announcement was held with the participation of more than 20 experts and representatives from some ministries and agencies and academics, most notably the field of Economics and Political Science, the National Council for Women, and the National Council for Disability Affairs. Minister of Development El-Said expressed that Egypt's Vision 2030 accentuated accomplishing equity in rights and openings, enabling women, youth, and the neediest groups and supporting the investment in all social and economic groups in Egyptian society in an effort to reduce the representation gaps and to accelerate development. More elaborations on the efforts and plans to capitalize on inclusiveness were made by Dr. Jamil Helmy, assistant to Minister Hala Elsaid and supervisor of the sustainable development plan for the 2030 Vision. Dr Helmy introduced the endeavors made to coordinate and manage gender-based issues into the ministries plans, calling attention to that the manual is a reference that means to help service sectors and offices apply and implement responsive accommodations for all groups of people, by recognizing the the needs and injustices that certain groups like women and the disabled face on a day-to-day basis in Egyptian society. That is by precisely observing the improvement gaps between these social groups, and subsequently guiding public spending to meet these deficiencies, Egypt heads towards accomplishing the Vision 2030 and the UN objectives of the UN goals of sustainable development. Helmy also mentioned to the sustainable development project full life cycle which includes getting full feasibility studies, referring to research provided by nongovernmental entities, deciding the effect of tasks on these gatherings, planning the undertakings of such efforts that considers the needs of different Egyptians, financing and implementation, and increasing the job offerings targeting certain underrepresented groups. The Associate Minister of Social Development focused on the requirement for activities and undertakings to meet the economic and social gaps identified within societies at the governorates level and bringing up the endeavors of some noteworthy private organizations to consider gender-based issues. The efforts of the government to reduce under representations and injustices within social groups in Egypt remains to be very clear. Yet, Egypt remains one of the worst countries to live as a woman and one of the least equipped for individuals with special needs. The issue is in a country as big as Egypt government based efforts would take years before the change is clear in contrast with a huge mindset shift within the general population. Along with the economic efforts the government carried and plans to carry out, more equality and social development awareness campaigns need to be carried out for the Egyptian government to soon reap the benefits.
