Sisi directs to create emergency relief fund for irregular workers

01 / 05 / 2023

By Marwa Nassar - -

President Abdel Fattah El Sisi issued directives on the Labor Day to create an emergency relief fund for irregular workers. Social and health accounts dues shall be transferred to it, thus they would be invested and used in emergencies and crises for irregular workers in a sustainable manner. This, in turn, would help maximize the social and developmental return of the fund.

During the Labor Day celebration, President Sisi directed to start activating the fund immediately once all legal procedures are completed by disbursing emergency funding of 1,000 Egyptian Pounds for irregular workers, who do not benefit from social protection programs.

He also directed to issue a new document, “Aman” certificate, which was previously issued in 2017 to cover life insurance and work injuries for irregular workers.

The president also underlined that all private and public establishments should employ persons with disabilities to represent 5% of their workforce, as per the law, and to continue working on developing their skills and integrating them into the labor market.

Moreover, the president directed to have the Supreme Council for Social to study the draft labor law presented to the House of Representatives, in the presence of workers’ and employers’ representatives, and agree on its final version. This shall guarantee that workers’ rights are preserved and ensure a work environment that is conducive to investment.

Sisi also gave directives to promote compliance with international labor standards and ensure that labor legislation and its implementation go in line with international labor conventions ratified by Egypt.

The president also ordered the Ministry of Manpower to swiftly finalize the launch of the national platform for labor market information.

Sisi directed the ministries and authorities concerned, in coordination with the private sector, to rapidly finalize the procedures aimed at achieving gender equality in the field of employment; ensuring a safe work environment; increasing women’s employment rates, integrating them into the labor market and developing their skills; and protecting working women and ensuring that they strike a balance between their job requirements and family duties. These efforts are part of endeavors to activate the national plan for gender equality in the field of employment that was launched in 2022.

Sisi also directed to launch a national campaign to improve the community’s mental image with regard to the value and importance of work for the individual and society, and encourage young people to integrate themselves into self-employment and entrepreneurship and to establish their small, medium and micro enterprises.

The president also gave directives to the ministries and authorities concerned to prepare for future jobs, identify the required occupations in the future labor market and the skills needed for them, and work to develop human resources skills in accordance with future jobs and labor market needs.