EgyptFeatures/Interviews

UN shows different facet on founding anniversary

Last Thursday, exhibitors began trickling into the beautiful, quiet Fish Garden in Zamalek. The enthusiastic spirit could be easily felt while they were organizing their own products neatly and proudly, getting ready for doors to open for guests with a wide smile. 
 
The fair was not just a part of the well-known, entertainment events held periodically in the Fish Garden, but was a celebration of the founding of the United Nations on 24 October in 1945, where dozens of beneficiaries of UN projects came together to share their success stories. 
 
“Today, we’re not promoting the UN only, we’re promoting what the UN stands for and its principals on freedom, human rights, and women’s empowerment,” Khawla Mattar, director of UN information center, said.  
 
“We thought this year of bringing our partners, constituencies and beneficiaries under one roof and letting them talk about our efforts, instead of just listing our achievements. Because many times we were asked how we do actually support the underprivileged in Egypt, and why don’t people see tangible things.” 
 
Nearly 69 years ago, the UN was founded as a new vision that emerged to be a global governing system giving a solemn pledge to the world’s people to eliminate crises and empower the marginalized and vulnerable. 
 
Long lines of tables were stretched all over the garden, piled with various products from unique handicrafts including paintings, vases, mother of pearl jewelry boxes and lanterns to fresh vegetables and fruits; however behind each table lies an inspiring story of persistence and hard work. 
 
At the corner of the botanical garden, under one of Zamalek’s huge trees with overhanging branches, an ice cream cart motorbike stood hanging a banner reading “Give me a second chance to prove that I have changed.”
 
The eye-catching banner conveyed a clear message that this project held a different kind of story than the others. 
 
Mahfouz Mahmoud’s story is a great example of how juvenile offenders could successfully rehabilitated if they found a hand of support from society. 
 
Mahmoud sentenced to 10 years in prison for drugs case when he was 17-years-old. However, with the help of the UN office on drugs and crime (UNODC), he has been able to have his own little ice-cream business after a few months of his release. 
 
     Mahfouz Mahoud standing infront of his ice-cream cart motorbike.
 
UNODC has been implemented in Cairo since 1997, mostly focusing on adopting conventions with government institutions against crime, human trafficking, smuggling minors, corruption, and drugs. 
 
“We provide programs that help youth obtain life skills and industry-recognized credentials by which they can earn a living and integrate into society once again by evading the stigma of having a juvenile record,” Masood Karimipour, regional representative of UNODC for the Middle East and North Africa, told Egypt Independent.
 
Besides the ongoing battles of the UN Women against gender inequality and marginalization of women, the UNODC is gearing up efforts on the legislative level in a bid to have a greater impact in Egypt. 
 
“In response to the specific needs of women who have been victims of sexual assault, we (UNODC) and the Egyptian Ministry of Justice agreed on a plan of action as fundamental groundwork in the development of future legislation to address violent crimes against women and help in strengthening the judicial capacity to administrate theses kinds of persecutions and cases,” Myrna Bouhabib, project coordinator in the UNODC for the MENA, explained to Egypt Independent
 
“We’ll sign a memorandum of agreement with Hassan Bassiouni, assistant minister of justice, to advance this work in the near future.”
The event successfully wrapped up with a live performance by Wust al-Balad band andthe talented hip-hop singer Ahmed Zap Tharwat, to the public.
 
                                   Crafted boxes made from mother of pearl
 

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