investment of $ 24.7 million to encourage start-up companies and entrepreneurship projects and provide training programs, and the implementation of the ‘Support small and medium enterprises project’ in cooperation with France. 6. In compliance with the provisions of the Constitution to achieve social justice and social solidarity, which seeks to ensure a decent life for all citizens, and in accordance with the Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, a number of projects and programs have been implemented, a) The ‘Takaful and Dignity Program’ was launched in order to provide a fair and effective social protection network for the needy in cooperation with NGOs. The number of beneficiaries registered on the Takaful program was 2,168,365 citizens, with 9,057,638 applications recorded in Karama. The program aims to double the number of beneficiaries of current security assistance to more than 3 million families. b) The number of beneficiaries of monthly social security assistance under Decree No. 137 of 2010 reached 1,753,000 at the end of 2016 at a cost of EGP 8.875 billion, while scholarships are offered to the children of the families benefiting from this assistance in order to prevent academic dropout amongst them. c) The number of pensions provided under social insurance laws rose by around 35 percent during the period 2015-2017. The total amount of public and private sector employees' pensions was 144,382 billion pounds for a total of 8.1 million beneficiaries. The minimum pension level was set at EGP 500 as of July 2016. An exceptional pension is reserved for the families of victims of terrorist acts, and for every civilian who suffered a total or partial disability due to terrorist acts. d) To reduce poverty and its negative consequences $ 929 million in funding has been dedicated to development projects which aim to reduce poverty in the poorest regions, while several programs have been launched in cooperation with private sector and nongovernmental organizations, including the subsequent care program aimed at employing those who are deprived of family care. e) The implementation of a system to support the production of bread and rationed goods and provide subsidized goods to 70 million citizens benefiting from ration cards, along with the establishment of several marketing outlets to provide basic commodities for the citizen, as well as the distribution of food to the neediest families in Upper Egypt. 49