مؤسسة حياه للتنمية والدمج المجتمعي Development and community integration
Today, 22/7/2018 the second meeting with civil society organizations, representatives of public authorities was held in Mediterranean Hall (1) in Azur hotel in Alexandria Corniche, which targeted many public figures and members of parliament in the governorates of Alexandria and Beheira.
The executive director of Life foundation Mrs. Nermeen Elbahtyty gave a detailed explanation on the establishment of Life foundation, its work in rehabilitation and reintegration field and its role for prevent the target cases to return to crime through its ongoing projects to support the prisoners, and she also made a presentation on (Arzak) project which funded by European Union and on the course of action of Life foundation which based on a participatory approach, a rights-based approach and providing opportunities.
And she explained the project of “economic empowerment of female ex-prisoners through mobile commerce vehicles” targeting 100 of female ex-prisoners and methods of cooperation among the institutions to remove all the obstacles that the project may face.
She also explained the importance of the project “economic empowerment of female ex-prisoners through mobile commercial vehicles” to build the administrative, vocational, and personal capacities of 100 female ex-prisoners to operate, equip, and own 20 mobile commerce vehicles, Build the capacities of 5 community-based organizations to design and implement awareness raising and advocacy campaigns, targeting 3,750 individuals in their communities, aimes at de-stigmatizing and facilitating reintegration of female ex-prisoners in 5 governorates of El-Sharqia, El- Qalyubia, El-Dakahlia, El-Beheira and Alexandria.
And the Documentary film entitled “Start from scratch” was shown on life foundation’s work with marginalized groups of ex-prisoners.
Mr. Atef Hafez, the manger of the project “Arzak” explained the role of life foundation in supporting the partners and stakeholders
He explained the forms of support which aims at communities’ residents and local and non-governmental actors to know the challenges faced by female ex-prisoners.
And he also explained the Criteria for Selection of local partners and their roles (Prison Directorates, Post Care Unit in ministry of interior, the ministries of Social Solidarity and local development, Management of Small & Medium Enterprises in ministry of industry, National Council for Women and others) and the role of Life foundation in increasing the awareness and understanding of the comprehensive challenges which faced by female ex-prisoners upon release and rehabilitate and reintegrate them in their communities and in their families and also providing the information on their status and their needs upon release.
The representatives of civil society organizations and institutions in two governorates attended the meeting, under the project “economic empowerment of female ex-prisoners through mobile commercial vehicles” funded by European Union which will be implemented in the governorates (El-Sharqia, El- Qalyubia, El-Dakahlia, El-Beheira and Alexandria) from April 2018 to April 2020.
The Member of Parliament from Al-montaza district Mr. Mohamed Ata Salem expressed his wish for cooperation and he talked about the need for hold a community discussion on the idea to move forward for a complete community integration of males and females prisoners in society upon release and to solve the problems relating to obtaining required licenses of vehicles to move in governorates and target regions and which also relating to transfer of ownership of the vehicles to target women; and the Member of Parliament from Al-montaza district Mr. Abu Al-Abbas Ferhat El-turkey has had the same opinion and he commended the role of Life foundation in rehabilitation and community integration field and expressed his wish to provide the assistance to support at the legislative level and amending the policies as appropriate to a complete empowerment of prisoners groups in Egypt to achieve social justice, providing opportunities and prevent a return to crime.
Mr. Mohamed Abdul Azia, the advisor of minister of justice and former Prosecutor-General commended the effective role of Life foundation in serving the society and he emphasized the need for pay attention and providing assistance to the civic society organizations concerned with marginalized groups.
Mr. Tarek Gamal Director-General of social solidarity in Alexandria attended the meeting and he put forward an initiative to help women in debt to pay their debts.
Life foundation always seeks the presence of representatives of religions as representatives of Al-Azhar and the church in all its meeting where Dr. Ibrahim Al-Jamal, the secretary of the family house in Alexandria attended the meeting and he expressed his happiness with the idea of the project and he noted the role of family house in Al-Azhar to raise the awareness of community and target cases to reduce stigma and social justice and equality between rights and obligations without regard to the type of crime or even the stigma of imprisonment.
Similarly, the father Paul, Assistant Secretary of the family house said that the church had an important role in such cases and he mentioned that the need to focus on the families of female prisoners because they are the first to be involved of the problem and they are an integral part of the female prisoner’s life.
Mr. Islam Reda, a journalist was among the attendees and he highlighted the importance of media outreach of the Foundation and the importance of media support for the foundation in the roles it plays to serve the community.
The representatives of the Governor of Alexandria and the Governor of El-Beheira attended the meeting … and a number of Members of Parliament in the two governorates, officials of the departments of solidarity in Alexandria and the Beheira in the departments of women and associations and representatives of the deputy ministry also attended the meeting.
And based on what has been, all agreed on the idea and its results at the local and national level and what it can bring to society at all levels of social and political and to enhance community safety and human rights.
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