Ashraf AboArafe
In cooperation with UN Women Egypt and the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) Programme in Egypt, the United Nations Information Centre in Cairo organized a press briefing on Tuesday, 29 September 2026, as part of its regular media dialogue series. The meeting aimed to highlight key developments in the work of the United Nations system in Egypt and strengthen communication with the Egyptian media.
During the first session, Marwa Alam El-Din, Officer-in-Charge of the UN Women Egypt Office, outlined the organization’s key priorities in Egypt, including advancing women’s participation and leadership, supporting gender-equal policies and legislation, and promoting women’s economic empowerment and financial inclusion.
Alam El-Din also highlighted UN Women’s efforts to strengthen the use of data and evidence, prevent violence against women, and support survivors in accessing justice and essential services. She further underscored the importance of awareness campaigns and efforts to address harmful behaviors by engaging men and boys as partners in advancing gender equality.
The second session featured Nadine Jamil, Country Coordinator of the United Nations Volunteers Programme in Egypt, who presented an overview of the International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development 2026. She highlighted its role in recognizing the contributions of millions of volunteers to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, while promoting community participation, solidarity and social cohesion.
The session also emphasized the importance of stronger partnerships and more inclusive opportunities for volunteer engagement, alongside knowledge-sharing and the development of innovative forms of volunteering.
Participants also discussed the State of the World’s Volunteerism Report 2026, which explores new approaches to measuring the impact of volunteering and serves as an important source of knowledge and evidence on the contributions of volunteers to communities around the world.
From empowering women to mobilizing volunteers, the Cairo dialogue underscored a shared message: sustainable development is not built by institutions alone, but by people whose leadership, participation and solidarity turn global goals into lasting change.
