Egypt's Minister of Social Solidarity Ghada Wali said on Sunday that the ministry has created a database of 25 million low-income citizens to better implement social programmes and alleviate economic burdens on low-income families.

She added that the database, created in cooperation with NGOs and the private sector, is the largest database of poor families in Egypt. 

The minister also noted that parliament has approved a law prepared by the ministry that protects people with special needs, noting that about 1 million citizens with disabilities received financial aid in 2018.

The minister's comments were made at the Narrative PR forum, which was held to discuss challenges facing the government in achieving security, economic reform, and social protection. 

During the forum, which is organised by a PR company, the minister said that her ministry mainly focuses on providing a social safety network and development.

The Narrative PR forum –Egypt's first international public relations forum – is titled 'Voice of Egypt... the State Speaks.' The forum convened on Sunday in Cairo under the auspices of Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly.

Lamia Kamel, the executive director of the PR company that organised the forum, said that the US Embassy, banks, and ministers are participating in the conference.

During the conference, Wali pointed out that the ministry uses information technology to provide low income families with 17 different types of monetary support.

Minister Wali explained that the ministry's Takaful and Karama programme, which was established in 2015 to supplement pensions for low-income families by providing conditional monetary subsidies, has already reached 5,630 villages and hamlets in all 27 governorates.

The programme's benefits have reached 2 million families so far, Wali said.

The ministry, in cooperation with a number of NGOs, is also currently implementing a programme that aims to build 300,000 housing units, the minister said.

According to the last report issued by CAPMAS, Egypt's poverty rate rose to 27.8 percent in 2015, compared to 25.2 percent in 2010.

The economic reform programme and austerity measures Egypt has adopted since 2016 have put a strain on many Egyptians who live under the poverty line.

Those under the poverty line earn EGP 482 ($27) or less per month, while the under the extreme poverty line earn EGP 322 (18) or less, according to the latest figures.