Egypt's communication and information technology ministry launched on Tuesday a website on information and communications technology (ICT) to support and empower women in the field of ICT and other aspects of life. The website, entitled "ICT for Women," provides various services for women's employment such as online learning of entrepreneurship and advertising of job opportunities, training and ICT events for women in Egypt and abroad. Although women make up around 50 percent of the country's population of 91 million, they constitute less than a quarter of the country's labour force, according to a March report from the state's official statistics body CAPMAS. In a statement published by official state news agency MENA, the ministry said that it aims to bridge the gap between men and women, raise awareness of challenges facing women in the labour market and overcome them. According to the website, ICT for Women provides abundant information on gender in Egypt through local and international studies on women in addition to statistics on gender issues in Egypt in the public and private sector, employment, family, education and health. Information on gender issues is available through few outlets in Egypt. Minister of International Cooperation Sahar Nasr said on Monday that Egypt's government aims to provide women and youth with lines of credit for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), adding that women-owned SMEs are the key to female empowerment, both politically and socially. Women have contributed up to 50 percent to the 1.2 million micro enterprises across Egypt supported by the Social Fund for Development (SFD) from 2009 to 2015, according to a CAPMAS study titled 'The Reality of Small and Medium Enterprises' released in September. Egypt ranks 136th out of 145 countries in gender equality according to the Global Gender Gap report 2015 by the World Economic Forum. Egypt ranks 125 on economic participation and opportunity index, 115 on the education attainment index, and 97 on the health and survival index. The website could be reached at www.ictforwoman.gov.eg
