The conclusion of a symposium together towards green recovery at the Faculty of Environmental Studies and the signing of a protocol of cooperation with the Arab Women’s Network for Empowerment and Support

The activities of the “Together towards Green Recovery” symposium, organized by the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Environmental Research at Ain Shams University, in cooperation with the Arab Union for Sustainable Development and the Arab Women’s Network, concluded withholding the third session through a roundtable discussion on “Women and Climate Change between Impact and Vulnerability.” 

The session was moderated by Prof. Iqbal Al Samalouti, head of the Social Committee of the Union of Arab Women Leaders, President of the Future Hawa Association and Secretary General of the Arab Network for Literacy and Adult Education, and the Participation Coordinator with the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Environmental Research at Ain Shams University, and Prof. Dr. Noha Donia, Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, participated in the symposium. Environmental Protection at Ain Shams University, and Prof. Dr. Reham Refaat, Vice Dean for Graduate Studies and Research, Faculty of Graduate Studies and Environmental Research, Ain Shams University 

Also participated in the symposium, Prof. Dr. Nour Shafiq Al-Jundi, advisor to the former Minister of Environment and member of the Supreme Scientific Committee of the Union, and Prof. Dr. Hala Adly Hussein, Secretary-General of the Union of Arab Women Leaders, and Dr. Reham Adel - President of the Arab Union for Sustainable Social Development, and Prof. Dr. Mona Zayed Owais, Professor of Mental Health and Psychological Counseling at Cairo University and member of the Federation. 

Prof. Dr. Noha Donia, Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Environmental Research, explained that the third session of the “Green Recovery” conference revolves around empowering women, where “influence and vulnerability,” noting that women are fragile and affected by climate change and affect it as well. 

She added that what is taking place today is one of the steps to empower and assist Arab women, through concerted efforts with the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Environmental Research and with the Arab Union for Sustainable Development to overcome the problem of climate change. 

Prof. Dr. Noha Samir Dunya has stated that a cooperation protocol has been signed with the Arab Network for Women to combine possible efforts to support and empower women. 

The Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Environmental Research concluded her speech by emphasizing that Egypt has taken serious steps to address the problem by issuing the Egypt 2030 strategy on climate change and striving to achieve it. 

In her speech, Prof. Dr. Reham Refaat, Vice Dean for Graduate Studies and Research, Faculty of Graduate Studies and Environmental Research, said that women are among the most influential groups in climate change as a result of many social, economic and cultural factors, as women constitute the largest proportion of people living in conditions of poverty, and women represent a large proportion. They are poor communities that depend heavily on local natural resources for their livelihood. 

She noted that women's access to goods is limited; They have little participation in decision-making and do not participate in the distribution of the benefits of environmental management. Consequently, women are less able to cope with climate change. 

Pointing out that there are a number of basic measures that help to activate the role of women in the issue of climate change, including the involvement of more women, whether in consultation or in the implementation stage, or women joining the climate funds alongside technical experts, and women occupying the largest number of seats at the negotiating table in The field of climate-related decision-making, making funds available directly in the form of loans or grants to women's groups or to climate entrepreneurs. 

Refaat pointed out that the association of women with environmental issues was linked to the feminist eco-philosophy, which expresses sustainable development centered on women, as women are closer to nature than men thanks to their basic nature, and the best evidence of this is the Swedish climate activist, Greta Thunberg, who led the demonstrations Salima is a child in many countries for the climate. When asked about her attendance at the COP27 Conference in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, she said, “My presence is not necessary there. Other people will attend, from the worst affected areas. 

And I think their voice there is more important.” This indicates that the presence of women in the battle for the climate is as important as the role of men, and sometimes even more than it. 

In conclusion, the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Environmental Research honored the Arab Network for Literacy and Adult Education and honored Dr. Hala Hussein and Prof. Dr. Iqbal Al-Samalouti for their efforts in civil work by the college, and the Union Shield was gifted to the college and its dean, Prof. Dr. Noha Samir Donia, and gifted her a necklace of gemstones made of recycling in the belief of the women of Egypt and community work to encourage everything that helps protect the environment and the planet from greenhouse gases.