Egypt to establish presidential fund for irregular workers

27 / 11 / 2020

By Marwa Nassar - -

A presidential fund will be set up to support irregular workers, especially during emergency economic conditions or pandemics, Social Solidarity Minister Niveen Qabbaj said.

The presidential fund is meant to make up for irregular workers’ loss of their income. It also aims to back those who could not get support from the Takaful and Karama program whose regulations are not applicable to them.

The fund will also support mothers, who have no more than three children, for three months after birth.

She made the remarks during the first meeting of a ministerial committee which was formed under directives of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi to offer support for irregular workers.

The committee members included representatives from the ministries of manpower, finance and health as well as the National Organization for Social Insurance and the Egyptian Authority for Maritime Safety.

Qabbaj noted that the sectors where irregular employment is more common include contracting, seasonal agriculture, fishing, bakeries, restaurants and cafes, and entertainment.

The irregular workers sector contributes about 40 percent of the national economy, Qabbaj added.

The committee will work on establishing a unified database for irregular workers, laying down plans for economic empowerment of irregular workers and launching an awareness campaigns among irregular workers on social protection programs.