Spreading the word

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Mrs Suzanne Mubarak has been highlighting Egyptian efforts to promote the rights of women and children, reports Amany Abdel-Moneim.

On Monday and Tuesday Mrs Suzanne Mubarak accompanied US First Lady Laura Bush on a tour of projects that aim to promote literacy among Egyptian girls. They visited one-classroom schools for girls, in addition to the Bibliotheca Alexandrina and the studios where the popular children's programme Alam Semsem -- adapted from Sesame Street -- is made.

Earlier this week, in Syria, Mrs Mubarak drew attention to Egyptian efforts to better integrate women within the business community. In her keynote speech before the International Forum of Business Women, hosted by Syrian First Lady Asma Al-Assad, Mrs Mubarak stressed the importance of supporting women within the business community as part of an overall development strategy.

Late last week, at the Children's Literature Awards, Mrs Mubarak cited gender equity, human development and knowledge as the foundations on which prosperity rests.

The prize, funded by Mrs Mubarak, was conceived as an initiative to help stimulate the development of children's books.