Date: Thursday, 16 October 2025
Time: 10:00 AM – 03:00 PM
Location: Fairmont Nile City - Magenta room
Event will be livestreamed
Overview:
The labor force participation rate for women in Egypt fell to 18% in 2023.[1] Among the major factors theorized to contribute to this low rate is women’s time spent on care work. While women’s childcare work is undervalued in national GDP accounting, early childhood is a critical stage in human development that shapes the trajectory for individuals’ health, learning, and overall wellbeing throughout their lives. This seminar will bring together completed and emerging research on drivers of women’s employment and time use on the one hand with research and policy discussion regarding early childhood nutrition, nurseries, breastfeeding, and early childhood education.
Sawiris Foundation for Social Development (SFSD), the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), and the Egyptian Food Bank (EFB) are organizing this new and final session of the Bridging Evidence and Policy (BEP) Seminar Series that will event gather policymakers, researchers, practitioners and development partners in Egypt. The event is supported by the Ministry of Social Solidarity (MoSS) and will be inaugurated by HE Dr. Maya Morsy, Minister of Social Solidarity.
[1] https://theforum.erf.org.eg/2024/11/19/the-evolution-of-labour-supply-in-egypt/
Live streaming:
Agenda:
Master of Ceremony: SFSD, TBD
| Opening Remarks 10:00-10:15 AM |
Mays Abohegab, - Deputy Executive Director, Sawiris Foundation for Social Development Sikandra Kurdi - Country Program Leader, International Food policy Research Institute (IFPRI) Mohsen Sarhan - CEO, Egyptian Food Bank (EFB) |
| Keynote Remarks 10:15 -10:30 AM |
HE Dr. Maya Morsi - Minister of Social Solidarity (MoSS) |
| Rapid fire presentation (5 minutes each) 10:30-10:50 AM |
Nagla Arafa, Nutrition officer, UNICEF Lily Bliznashka, Research Fellow, IFPRI (Prerecorded presentation) Nahed Yousry, Social Empowerment Director, SFSD |
| Panel discussion: Nutrition, education, and early childhood development Moderator: Nina Jovanovic, Associate Research Fellow, IFPRI 10:50 - 11:50 AM |
Margaret Sarofim, Deputy Minister of Social Solidarity, MoSS Nagla Arafa, Nutrition officer, UNICEF Ganna Hassan, Research Assistant, IFPRI Eman El Rashidy, Education and Scholarship Director, SFSD |
| 11:50 AM -12:05 PM | Q&A |
| 12:05 – 12:15 PM | Coffee Break |
| Rapid fire presentation (5 minutes each 12:15 -12:35 PM |
Racha Ramadan, Professor of Economics, Faculty of Economics and Political Science (FEPS) Basma Yassa - Senior Research Associate, IFPRI Abdelrahman Nagy, Lead Evaluation Specialist, International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie) Mohamed Elkaramany – Senior Advisor, the Growth Lab at the Egyptian Food Bank (EFB) |
| Panel discussion: Women’s employment and time use Moderator: 12:35 - 01:35 PM Nouran Khaled, Program Innovation Manager, EFB |
Racha Ramadan, Professor of Economics, Faculty of Economics and Political Science (FEPS) Basma Yassa, Senior Research Associate, IFPRI Abdelrahman Nagy, Lead Evaluation Specialist, International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie) Mohamed Elkaramany, Senior Advisor, the Growth Lab, EFB |
| 01:35 -01:50 PM |
Q&A |
| 01:50 – 02:00 PM | Coffee Break |
| Presentations BEP Wrap up (15 minutes) 02:00 -02:15 PM |
Adham Hamdy, Principal Learning and Innovation Officer, SFSD Ali Abdelhadi, Senior Communications Specialist, IFPRI |
| Closing remarks 02:15-03:00 PM |
Mays Abohegab, - Deputy Executive Director, Sawiris Foundation for Social Development
Sikandra Kurdi - Country Program Leader, International Food policy Research Institute (IFPRI) Mohsen Sarhan - CEO, Egyptian Food Bank (EFB) |
| 03:00 PM | Lunch and networking |
