On 14 November, the Asia Population and Development Association (APDA) and the Forum of Arab Parliamentarians on Population and Development (FAPPD) organized a meeting in Cairo, together with 7 Committees of the Egyptian Parliament. The meeting aimed to review the implementation in Egypt of the recommendations adopted by the Arab-Asian parliamentarians’ meetings that APDA and FAPPD have organized. Approximately 50 Members of the Egyptian Parliament, representatives of relevant ministries and agencies related to population and development, and civil society organizations attended the event.

Former FAPPD President Hon. Dr. Abdul Hadi Al-Qasabi (Chair of the Committee on Social Solidarity, Family, and Persons with Disabilities, and Majority Leader in the Egyptian House of Representatives) presented that the Parliament has passed a series of human rights laws, based on the recommendations by APDA and FAPPD’s parliamentarians’ meetings, including the National Council for Women Law No. 30 of 2018, Persons with Disabilities Rights Law No. 10 of 2018, and the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood Law, and the Elderly Rights Law. Furthermore, he introduced that in cooperation with FAPPD, the committee launched TV programmes specialized in population and development, which advocate and address challenges (such as issues of education of youth, women) that localities are facing. Also, Hon. Dr. Soheir Abdelhamid, who represented the Health Committee, mentioned that the country is making steady progress toward comprehensive health reform, which is in line with the recommendations of APDA and FAPPD’s meetings.

This event was part of APDA’s initiative for strengthening National Committees on Population and Development with the support of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and Japan Trust Fund (JTF) and in cooperation with International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF). Participants expressed their appreciation for the support, noting that these activities play an important and effective role in addressing population and development issues in Arab countries.