2010 - Cairo

Inaugural Forum

The 2010 Freedom to Create Forum was held at the American University in Cairo on 24 November 2010 and focused on the misuse of traditional, cultural and religious dogmas that hinder opportunities for women to flourish in all aspects, and the need for investing in girls to yield asymmetrical returns.

Read about the 2010 Panel Participants.

Discussion Topics

Cultural and religious dogmas

The life-long suppression of women based on the misuse of traditional cultural tenements and the central dogmas of religion hinder opportunities for women to contribute and participate as equal members of society. These factors remain an issue across diverse cultures and communities, preventing women from flourishing in religious, cultural, political, social and economic spheres.

Investing in the potential of women

Investing in girls will yield asymmetrical returns. Educating a girl empowers her to enter the labour force, creating prosperity for herself, her family and her country. It improves the family’s health. It is also associated with greater democracy and improved civic participation. The cost of female discrimination to the world is staggering, not only in human terms but also in economic terms: lost human capital and cyclical poverty.