Egypt's Minister of Foreign Affairs Badr Abdelatty, participated in the opening session of the 10th General Conference of the Arab Women Organization (AWO) on Monday. The conference is held under the patronage of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi with the theme "Communication, Empowerment and Protection for Women and Girls from Cyber Violence and Violence Resulting from Technology and Artificial Intelligence." The opening session was attended by Maya Morsy, Minister of Social Solidarity and President of the AWO's Supreme Council; Fadia Kiwan, Director General of the AWO; and Counsellor Amal Ammar, President of the National Council for Women (NCW). During the event, Ambassador Mervat Tallawy, former Minister of Insurance and Social Affairs and former head of the NCW, was honoured, receiving shields from the NCW and the AWO. Minister Abdelatty delivered a speech during the opening session, emphasizing the priority President El-Sisi gives to the role of women as essential partners in societal development. He noted that the AWO, whose headquarters Egypt hosts, serves as an important platform for exchanging successful ideas and experiences in supporting and empowering women in all aspects of life. The Foreign Minister highlighted the importance of protecting women from cyber violence and violence stemming from technology and artificial intelligence. He stressed the necessity of finding the best methods to protect women and girls from cyber violence and its risks to ensure their safety in the digital society. Abdelatty emphasized the importance of joint Arab action in exploring opportunities and creating pathways for exchanging best practices to end this phenomenon. He referred to the introduction of legislation and initiatives in Egypt to maintain women's safety in cyberspace, including the "Anti-Cybercrime Law" and the "Telecommunications Regulation Law," as well as the launch of the "Technology Hackathon" and awareness campaigns in cooperation with social media platforms. The Foreign Minister also reviewed Egypt's experience in promoting women's rights, empowerment, and protection from all forms of violence. He pointed out that dedicating a pillar of the National Strategy for Human Rights to enhancing women's rights demonstrates the priority the Egyptian state, across all its institutions, gives to this issue. He also mentioned the launch of the National Strategy for the Empowerment of Egyptian Women 2030, women's ascent to judicial positions, and the increased percentage of their representation in parliament. At the conclusion of his speech, Minister Abdelatty extended greetings to Egyptian and Arab women, with a special tribute to Palestinian women standing steadfast in defence of the Palestinian people's rights against Israeli actions in the Gaza Strip.
