Outcome EGY_D_2.2

More policies promote decent work and social protection for women

Despite the ongoing pandemic, UN Women through its partnership within the framework of the DE and P&G funded programmes, maintained the implementation of its AWP through the formed collaboration and partnerships with the national counterparts inclduing the NCW, civil society (IECD), academia (AUC), and Juhayna as a private sector. In 2021, in partnership with the AUC, 28 additional women (from 20 companies) in mid-level management were registered for corporate board services after receiving a set of trainings through a cost-share scholarship on leadership and advanced management skills (50% of which were funded through their respective companies). This makes a total of 106 women trained and registered for board placement service throughout the partnership with the AUC since 2020. In addition, more companies are in support of recruiting women on boards as a result of awareness raising and open discussions while utilizing infographs designed to display the results and findings of the 2020 Women on Boards Observatory Annual Monitoring report. Furthermore, through the partnership with IECD, 47 young women electricians in Alexandria and Cairo are better able to access job opportunities after receiving employability training including internships (for 22 young women) with 5 companies in Alexandria as well as a scholarship to learn English language for employability (for 25 young women). Trainees also received online sessions on communications and problem solving which were captured in two online edutorial videos posted on UN Women and NCW's social media platforms to cope with COVID-19 situation which resulted in outreaching to over 3,000 viewerships. In conjunction to this, TVET students were more ready to the labor market rules and obligations through orientation sessions provided on the Egyptian labor law which was illustrated in infographs and posted online for wider outreach. In addition, 33 women working in traditionally male dominated sectors (namely, leather-making products, plumbing, electrical and mechanical maintence, soab and paper making products, cloth printing, tuk-tuk spare parts, carpentry, and nursery management) started their own businesses after receiving capacity building sessions on business development, financial management, and marketing in slum areas in Cairo and Alexandria. Moreover, advocacy messages were widespread to over 3,500 persons through an online documentary entitled "up to the challenge" developed on women in traditionally male dominated sectors -namely, electricity. The documentary addressed the negative stigma for women in the TVET sector, screening young women electricians who received trainings, internships, and job placements. Representatives from the private sector were also screened in support of the cause and calling for others to follow their steps. This is coupled with 2 additional online videos developed on shared household responsibilities, men's support to women peers at work, and women in traditionally male dominated sector, plus 10,000 persons were outreached with messages on GEWE. Advocacy and awareness raising activities directly targeted 209 TVET secondary students (46 young women and 163 young men) who engaged in discussions on gender norms and women's empowerment through interactive performances, games, and group discussions on shared household responsibilities and the role of male co-workers to advance gender equality at the workplace in traditionally male dominated fields. In terms of research, the DE programme has commissioned a study on "challenges and opportunities in employing female technicians: employer-focused" which collected surveys on the labor market of 124 companies and recruiting agencies, including recommendations for the government, private sector, and recruiting service providers to increase the number of female technicians in the labor force. Infographs were also produced along with social media cards in conjunction with the care economy building on the 2020 UN Women-ERF report on "The Role of the Care Economy in Promoting Gender Equality". For entrepreneurship and women-owned businesses, 100 women entrepreneurs in rural Upper Egypt are better able to market and run their own retail businesses with 20 women having advanced skills to supervise and manage a group of sales representatives after a set of trainings and TOT on leadership skills, time management, teamwork, marketing and financial management including on-the-job and in-person sales through the partnership developed under Procter & Gamble funded programme. Women were also able to trade and be integrated in the distribution channels of various companies, including Juhayna. Moreover, 6 additional women-owned businesses were established in retail businesses for 33 women(this makes a total of 11 companies established throughout the life of the programme) resulting in an income increase by 30%-40% depending on the maturity of the companies. Women also received seed funds for their newly established compaies and were able to revolve their capital by 1.5 times every 20 days. Success stories and a documentary on the achievements were developed resulting in a donor extension for a 3rd phase of the partnership with UN Women Egypt. Finally, 6 additional companies in different fields signed the WEPs as a result of bilateral meetings with potential companies and vendors within the DE and P&G programme. In addition, to scale up the number of WEPs signatories in connection with the national efforts, UN Women communicated with the Ministry of International Cooperation to synergize efforts with the private sector and include the WEPs in the "Closing the Gender Gap Accelerator".

More policies promote decent work and social protection for women

Through different UN Women Egypt programmes including Global Affairs Canada, Sida JP, and KOICA, 30 additional companies in Egypt signed the WEPs CEO Statement of Support that makes the total number of WEPs signatories increase by 50% too reach a total of 72 companies in 2022. This includes the Financial Regulartory Authority (FRA) which includes a pool of financial and insurance companies which is the first financial authority worldwide to adopt and promote the WEPs among its members. Results include supporting number of companies to review their policies, conduct their gender gap analysis, and develop their relative action plans. Currently, more focused support is tailored to provide companies with policies on harassment in the workplace and more HR tailored support and gender & marketing training based on the individual companies' action plan. In connection to this, UN Women through Sida Decent Work and KOICA funded programmes, supported companies to commit to the WEPs principles 1 and 4 to promote women on corporate boards and in leadership positions in addition to promoting a gender sensitive workplaces and availing equal training opportunities for women employees through the collaboration with the AUC where women employees had access to 50% scholarship to be trained on: Finance for non Financers, Advanced Management, Digital Marketing, Executive Leadership, Management for first time managers and Human Capital Certificate. In 2022, 74 women emloyees received trainings and some were promoted to senior management level, out of which around 35.15% are funded by their companies (most of which are WEPs signatories). This includes provision of board placement advocacy resulting in nominating 180 candidates to 36 EGX companies, additional 10 candidates to Archer Finance, and another 13 candidates to Beltone Financial Holding .