Egypt (Alexandria University) Alexandria University Organizes Seminar on “The Population Issue”

Under the auspices of H.E. Dr. Nivine El Kabbag, Minister of Solidarity, and Professor Dr. Abdelaziz Konsowa, President of Alexandria University, Dr. Mohamed Anwar Farrag, Dean of the Faculty of Education, inaugurated a seminar entitled “The Population Issue: A Social Vision, and the (2 are Enough) Program,” organized by the Social Solidarity Unit at Alexandria University, in cooperation with the Association of the Strategic Forum for Development and Social Peace in the Conference Hall of the Faculty of Commerce, Alexandria University.

In his speech, Dr. Farrag said that the Egyptian state is making every effort to confront the population problem, which represents one of the most important challenges that impede the development process, pointing out that the National Population Strategy (2015-2030) stated in one of its principles that the population problem in its various dimensions represents a challenge that requires providing an environment that stimulates the participation of NGOs in addressing this problem, which requires voluntary efforts to confront it. He added that Alexandria University implemented a project entitled Mawadda (Affection), through which it was able to raise awareness among 20 thousand students of the basics necessary to form a family and preserve its entity. He also announced that Alexandria University is about to sign an agreement with Alexandria Governorate to organize awareness campaigns for students on the population issue and the harms of the population explosion.

While Dr. Alaa Rizk, head of the Strategic Forum for Development, confirmed in his speech that the Ministry of Social Solidarity, in cooperation with the United Nations Development Program, launched an awareness program for community development under the slogan “With awareness, Egypt is changing for the better” in all the governorates, villages and towns targeted by the presidential initiative Haya Karima “A Decent Life”. He explained that the ministry adopts the concept of developing awareness among the most vulnerable groups from an integrated human rights perspective, that enables the targeted families to access all the services due to them by the Egyptian state, with the aim of helping them gradually get out of the cycle of poverty in its various dimensions. He also stated that one of the most important objectives of this program is to adopt the concept of the small family, in order to achieve sustainable development and eliminate unemployment.

Dr. Magda Galala, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Solidarity in Alexandria, indicated that the “Capacity Building of Cadres” program includes 12 societal issues, the most important of which are “the issue of family planning, maternal and child health, and reproductive health.”

Dr. Samia Abul-Nasr, Assistant Editor-in-Chief of Al-Ahram Newspaper, explained that the “2 are Enough” project aims to reduce the population increase among families benefiting from the cash support project “Takaful”, to achieve one of the goals of the sustainable development plan Egypt 2030, and reduce the rates of population increase to reach the missing balance between them and the economic growth rates, which is considered the most important objective of the “2 are Enough” project.

The seminar was attended by Dr. Ayman Shteiwi, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Commerce, Dr. Hassan Abdeen, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Education, the actor Tarek El-Desouky, Dr. Susanna El-Mansi, Ministerial Coordinator of “Waa’i” Awareness Initiative for Community Development, Mr. Ahmed Younes, project coordinator of “2 are Enough” project at the Ministry of Solidarity, in addition to a group of faculty members and students of the faculties of the Humanities & Social Sciences Campus.