Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families

Thirty-ninth session

Geneva, 2–13 December 2024

Item 5 of the provisional agenda

Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under article 73 of the Convention

Replies of Egypt to the list of issues in relation to its combined second to fourth periodic reports *

[Date received: 19 September 2024]

Replies to the list of issues

Replies to the questions raised in paragraph 1 of the list of issues

Laws on the protection of migrant workers and members of their families under the Convention

1.Further to the information provided in the national report, the following laws relate directly or indirectly to the implementation of the Convention: Act No. 111 of 1983, as amended, concerning the emigration and welfare of Egyptians abroad; the Criminal Code; Act No. 89 of 1960, concerning the entry, residence and departure of foreign nationals; the Children’s Act No. 12 of 1996, as amended; Ministerial Decree No. 146 of 2019, concerning the conditions and procedures for authorizing employment of foreign nationals; Prime Ministerial Decree No. 369 of 2023, concerning the organization of the Fund for Combating Irregular Immigration and the Protection of Migrants and Witnesses. Most recently, Presidential Decree No. 349 of 2024 was issued on 26 August 2024 on the organization of the Assistance Fund for Victims of Human Trafficking .

Measures taken by the State party to bring its legislation into line with the Convention, in particular with regard to the detention and expulsion of persons in an irregular situation

2.At the outset, the Government of Egypt affirms its commitment to implementing the United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Refugees of 1951 and the principle set out in article 31 of the Convention that penalties must not be imposed on refugees on account of their illegal entry or presence in the State party. Where foreign nationals are arrested on account of their illegal entry or presence, they must be released as soon as they express a desire to seek refuge, provided that they comply with the requirement to register with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Egypt to regularize their situation in accordance with article 31. That article refers to the timely expression of a need to receive international protection and paragraph 2 states that restrictions may be imposed on the movements of refugees, when necessary, until their status in the country of asylum is regularized or they obtain admission into another country. The State cooperates with UNHCR based on a memorandum of understanding signed in 1954 that requires UNHCR to undertake all the tasks of refugee registration, documentation and status determination. The Government liaises on an ongoing basis with UNHCR to deliver protection and assistance to refugees and asylum-seekers, including access to UNHCR via the different communication channels provided by the latter. This opens the way for any asylum-seeker to communicate with and have access to UNHCR.

3.The rulings handed down by the country’s Supreme Administrative Court uphold the principle of non-refoulement and affirm that access to legal protection in Egypt is not confined to political refugees but also extends to those seeking refuge on humanitarian grounds. They also affirm that refugees present in the country in an irregular situation are not subject to expulsion. The relevant State authorities must provide such persons with the full range of services that they need to be able to stay and to receive education, healthcare and the assistance that the Government provides to Egyptian nationals so that they can have access to goods and basic services such as education, primary healthcare and infrastructure. All this is provided on an equal footing with Egyptian nationals. The Ministry of the Interior issues refugees and asylum-seekers with six-month residence permits using the identity cards issued to them by UNHCR. To ease the burden on them, it exempts them from paying fees for the issuance and renewal of these permits .

4.Where there is evidence to show that a refugee or asylum-seeker poses a threat to national security or public order, and a decision has been taken to deport that person in accordance with Act No. 89 of 1960, the relevant Egyptian authorities work together with UNHCR, pursuant to articles 31 and 32 of the Convention, to find an alternative country of asylum for the person concerned. There are no detention centres for refugees or migrants in Egypt; the country’s policy for dealing with both these categories of persons is based on respect for freedom of movement. Further to the information provided in paragraphs 72 and 73 of the national report, concerning Act No. 89 of 1960, which regulates the entry and stay of foreign nationals in Egypt, deportation is a matter for a committee that was set up pursuant to article 29 of the Act. Article 16 of the Act states that all foreign nationals who live in the Arab Republic of Egypt must have a residence permit and must leave the country if the permit expires. Article 42 states that a fine of up to 2,000 Egyptian pounds (LE) will be imposed for the first three months of the infraction and increased by a further 50 per cent for every additional three months thereafter, if the infraction continues. Egyptian law does not impose penalties of deprivation of liberty for breaches of the rules on staying in the country .

5.In keeping with the Government’s commitment to providing all possible facilities, a decision of the Prime Minister was issued on 12 September 2024 extending the time frame for resolving the status and regularizing the stay of foreign nationals living in the country in an irregular situation for one additional year. This is the third time in two years that an extension has been granted .

6.There are no provisions in Act No. 82 of 2016, concerning irregular migration and migrant smuggling, that would provide for the imposition of criminal penalties on migrants who have been smuggled or trafficked. Consequently, such persons are not liable to be prosecuted or placed in detention. Section IV of the Act sets out the measures that the State must take in order to protect the rights of trafficked migrants, especially women and children, as victims. Asylum-seekers and trafficked migrants, whether adults or minors below the age of 18, are not liable to be prosecuted or placed in detention. The National Council for Childhood and Motherhood is the legal representative of the families of unaccompanied minors, when those families cannot be identified or the minors do not have legal representation.

Bilateral and multilateral agreements

7.The Government of Egypt is committed to concluding or renewing these agreements through the negotiation process and to including provisions to promote the interests of Egyptian workers abroad, bearing in mind that there are States that are not party to the Convention on Migrant Workers. In this connection, the State has concluded upwards of 37 bilateral agreements on labour mobility (agreements on labour mobility, memorandums of understanding, protocols and bilateral operational programmes) with 17 States. These bilateral agreements deal with irregular migration, work conditions and benefits and include prohibitions on dismissal or the termination of employment contracts without a legal justification being provided in accordance with due process rules. The agreements state that migrant workers have the right to receive social security and social protection and to remit money to their country of origin. They also provide for a joint mechanism to find amicable solutions to disputes. Some of them are framework agreements for which more detailed implementation programmes are subsequently devised. The most recent labour agreement was concluded with Cyprus and signed in June 2024. Negotiations are under way on a number of new agreements designed to facilitate access to appropriate job opportunities for Egyptian nationals abroad and persons from the other countries (Malta and Hungary).

Comprehensive strategic partnership agreement between Egypt and the European Union

8.This agreement is consistent with the principles set out in the Charter of the United Nations and relevant multilateral agreements. It deals with a range of matters that relate to the regulation of migration and mobility in the framework of migration governance; legal migration pathways; tackling the root causes of irregular migration; combating migrant smuggling and trafficking of persons; and strengthening border management. It is designed to strengthen protection for the rights of migrants and refugees based on the adoption of a more holistic approach to migration and to the migration-development nexus. It involves measures to facilitate regular migration; action to address the root causes of irregular migration in the framework of the efforts that Egypt has been making since September 2016 to prevent irregular migration and to control its borders, including by preventing the departure of ships and boats carrying irregular migrants across the Mediterranean Sea; the conduct of search and rescue missions on the high seas; management of migration flows; and action to combat transnational criminal networks involved in human trafficking and migrant smuggling. It also involves increased cooperation to strengthen vocational and technical training and education with a view to developing skills, increasing and generating employment opportunities and facilitating the movement of workers to the European Union, including in the context of the Talent Partnerships scheme. The European Union supports the efforts of Egypt to deliver basic services to support the health and education of refugees, asylum-seekers and migrants.

Ratification of regional treaties on migration and employment

9.Egypt is considering the possibility of acceding to regional migration and employment treaties in the framework of the promotion of migrant workers’ rights.

Reply to the question raised in paragraph 2 of the list of issues

Countries of origin of migrants in an irregular situation

10.The studies conducted by the National Coordinating Committee and National Centre for Social and Criminal Research – “Irregular Migration and Young Persons” and “Irregular Migration and Unaccompanied Minors” – focus only on Egyptian unaccompanied minors and young persons, not on foreign nationals. The purpose of the studies was to identify the pathways for irregular migration, the push factors behind the phenomenon and the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of young and underage Egyptian migrants. The focus was on those governorates of Egypt from which most irregular migrants come. This also applies to the updated study on irregular migration in Egypt that is being done jointly with the Central Mobilization and Statistics Agency in the framework of the Cooperation on Migration Governance (CONMIGO) Project, an institutional support initiative.

Reply to the question raised in paragraph 3 of the list of issues

Policies and strategies relating to the rights of migrant workers and members of their families

11.As part of the Sustainable Development Strategy – Egypt Vision 2030 – action is being taken to increase access to suitable work that guarantees the fundamental rights of workers in the framework of a set of regulations on safety and fair pay, social insurance, and the protection of occupational health, and that helps deliver better opportunities for building the capacities and skills of workers in order to foster social integration and increase employment rates, especially among young persons, women and persons with disabilities.

Reply to the question raised in paragraph 4 of the list of issues

Functions of the Supreme Standing Committee for Human Rights

12.The Committee is responsible for formulating and following up on the implementation of the National Human Rights Strategy; drafting reports submitted to international and regional human rights mechanisms; following up on the comments and recommendations made by those mechanisms and on the commitments arising from the implementation of agreements; and devising policies and plans to raise awareness and build capacity in the area of human rights. The Committee conducts wide-ranging consultations in order to prepare the strategy, engaging ministries and relevant State agencies. It has carefully consulted with representatives of civil society. The document setting out the National Human Rights Strategy makes reference to the creation of an environment favourable to trade union freedoms and to healthy labour relations that support comprehensive growth and promote social dialogue between the Government, employers and workers. The Supreme Standing Committee for Human Rights contributes to the drafting of labour legislation and to efforts to bring it into line with international labour standards and norms, including the Convention on the Rights of Migrant Workers. Over the past five years, the State has allocated around LE 200 million to the Committee and the technical secretariat, which includes upwards of 50 specialists.

Replies to the questions raised in paragraph 5of the list of issues

Mandate of the National Council for Human Rights

13.The Council was established pursuant to Act No. 94 of 2003. It is a national institution that was created in accordance with the Principles relating to the Status of National Human Rights Institutions (the Paris Principles). Its independence was strengthened and its mandate was expanded pursuant to Act No. 197 of 2017, principally by allowing it to: conduct visits to places of deprivation of liberty; notify the Office of the Public Prosecutor of any violations of civil liberties and other rights; participate in proceedings on behalf of victims of crime; issue reports on human rights developments in the country; and comment on draft legislation.

Human, technical and financial resources made available to the National Council for Human Rights

14.In the past five years, the State has allocated a total of LE 260 million to the Council. It has given it a suitable headquarters, with 11 branches in the governorates, thus facilitating communication with members of the public and the receiving of complaints. The Council comprises a number of committees, namely: the Civil and Political Rights Committee; the Cultural Rights Committee; the International Relations Committee; the Social Rights Committee; the Economic Rights Committee; the Legislative Rights Committee; the Complaints, Monitoring and Follow-Up Committee; the Training and Capacity-Building Committee; the Human Rights Promotion Committee; and the Climate and Development Committee. There are some 140 members of the Council’s technical secretariat, many of whom have completed advanced degrees in international law and specialized training in monitoring, oversight and protection, delivered in cooperation with United Nations specialized agencies and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

Reply to the question raised inparagraph 6 of the list of issues

Number of complaints received by the National Council for Human Rights

15.Between October 2019 and May 2023, the Council received 4,814 complaints about employment issues from Egyptian migrants. The Ministry of State for Emigration and the Affairs of Egyptians Abroad was established in 2015 (before being subsumed under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in July 2024) as a mechanism to reach out to Egyptians abroad and resolve their problems. The Ministry has a hotline to receive complaints from Egyptians abroad. Dozens of complaints and queries are received on the hotline each day from Egyptians abroad. The Council of Ministers set up a government complaints system to receive complaints from citizens, including Egyptians abroad. The complaints are reviewed and replies are sent by email in coordination with different government agencies and ministries.

Reply to the question raised in paragraph 7 of the list of issues

Labour migration to and from the State party

16.Between 1 January 2021 and 30 June 2024, 1,711,160 Egyptian nationals travelled abroad for work and obtained work permits as migrant workers in 15 countries (mainly, SaudiArabia, Kuwait, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, the Sultanate of Oman and Bahrain). Between 2021 and 2023, upwards of 123,000 workers returned home to Egypt and 17,200 foreign nationals obtained work permits in Egypt.

Reply to the question raised in paragraph 8 of the list of issues

Withdrawal of reservations to certain treaty articles and ratification of certain International Labour Organization conventions

17.In Egypt, regular reviews of positions on treaties are conducted in the light of national priorities. The Government reviews its position on the international instruments to which it has not acceded or the provisions to which it has entered reservations in line with the Constitution, thus ensuring a harmonized approach to its international commitments. However, the question of accession to an international treaty pertains to the sovereign right of each State to determine its own position based on its own specificities. The reservation that Egypt has entered to article 4 of the declaration required under articles 76 and 77 of the Convention does not impede the assurance of the rights and freedoms that are safeguarded under the Convention. With regard to the reservation to article 18 (6) of the Convention, article 54 of the Constitution states that compensation for the penalty of deprivation of liberty will be determined pursuant to a judgment annulling the penalty. The Government is working together with the International Labour Organization (ILO) to review the possibility of ratifying a number of ILO conventions. The Government, first of all, updates the register of ratifications in keeping with the evolution of national legislation and rapid changes in the world of work. Egypt ratified the Maritime Labour Convention in May 2023 and deposited the instruments of ratification with ILO in June 2024. With this, it has ratified 65 ILO conventions.

Replies to the questions raised in paragraph 9 of the list of issues

Training of judges and, members of the security forces on the Convention, and protection from arbitrary arrest

18.The Ministry of Justice has organized 22 training sessions and workshops in conjunction with the National Coordinating Committee to Combat and Prevent Irregular Migration and Human Trafficking in order to strengthen awareness of the laws on irregular migration and human trafficking, related laws and best practices in this domain. The Ministry of the Interior runs training and awareness-raising activities for its personnel using various processes (mainly, the teaching of all aspects of human rights, including in connection with the protection of migrants’ rights, in all classes at the Police Academy and in specialized training and advanced courses of study). The Human Rights Section in the Ministry runs seminars and talks for other sections on human rights. Between January 2020 and July 2024, the Ministry ran training courses for its personnel, in coordination with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), OHCHR, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the International Committee of the Red Cross, on protecting the rights of migrants, promoting and protecting human rights, combating violence against women and applying the United Nations Standard Minium Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules).

Making the Convention widely known, promoting its implementation and familiarizing the general public with its provisions

19.The Convention is part of the nation’s legislative fabric and is made widely known through the Official Gazette and via a number of governmental online platforms and websites. The Ministry of Labour runs workshops to share information about the provisions of the Convention and the rights of migrant workers through the Administrative Training Centre. The beneficiaries have been as many as 185 labour inspectors and employees of the department that issues work permits to foreign nationals, the department that deals with employment at home and abroad, and the Central Department for External Affairs. Moreover, training is provided to human resources managers in State companies that employ foreign nationals to familiarize them with the provisions on the regulation of foreign labour, protection from arbitrary arrest, the confiscation of passports and termination of contracts. A total of 4,320 human resources managers in the private sector have received the training. In addition, three workshops were run for managers of companies that recruit Egyptian workers abroad on the rights of migrant workers and how to assist them.

Replies to the questions raised in paragraph 10 of the list of issues

Involvement of parliamentarians and civil society organizations in the dissemination of the Convention

20.A joint project involving the Ministry of Labour, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and ILO has been up and running since September 2017. Known as the “ADWA” project, it involves actions to make international labour standards, including the provisions of the Convention, widely known. A number of workshops have been held for parliamentarians, judges and experts at the Ministry of Labour. A new law on civic activity was issued and action was taken to harmonize the status of civic associations, including those that deal with migrants’ rights and work. The Ministry of Social Solidarity has drawn up lists of civic associations and their various areas of focus and shared them on websites and online applications, so that parliamentarians, civil society organizations and other social partners can be involved in the dissemination and implementation of the Convention. Migrant workers and their families have access to websites containing information about civil society organizations that can assist them. In this way, these organizations are able to assist migrant workers and members of their families and to defend their rights to work in decent conditions.

Information and services supplied to migrant workers by civil society organizations

21.A number of non-governmental organizations are involved in the dissemination and implementation of the Convention. Various civic institutions and associations support the rights of migrant workers and ensure that these workers have access to services such as healthcare, education and housing. Migrant workers can obtain information about non-governmental organizations that specialize in providing care for migrants by searching through the relevant database on the Ministry’s website. Approvals have been issued to give 23 grants to these kinds of organizations so as to provide them with the funding they need to support the rights of migrants. This involved a total expenditure of LE 449,438,993 million between 1 January 2022 and 8 August 2024. The grants fund projects in the following areas: protection of child migrants who are at risk and begging on the streets; delivery of medical services and psychological support; reintegration of returning migrants; creation of two health units for migrants; delivery of protection services; primary healthcare; educational and employment opportunities; and access to educational services.

Reply to the question raised in paragraph 11 of the list of issues

Whether a referral unit exists for migrant workers arriving in the State party

22.The Ministry of Labour provides awareness-raising services, guidance and referrals to migrant workers entering Egypt through the Central Department for Labour Market and Employment Information and the department responsible for issuing work permits to foreign nationals. The department offers technical support to migrant workers and runs designated programmes in Arabic and English.

Reply to the question raised in paragraph 12 of the list of issues

Laws relating to employment agencies abroad

23.The Labour Code (articles 17 to 25 and the corresponding articles on penalties) regulates the processes for foreign recruitment of Egyptian nationals. It deals with matters pertaining to the type of agency or company, licensing conditions, the amount of capital held, the method by which employers pay for its services, the principle that workers must not be required to pay for their employment, and the conditions for revoking a licence. The Minister of Labour is empowered under the Code to draw up detailed rules and regulations. Minister of Labour Decree No. 135 of 2003 contains a set of regulations on recruitment of Egyptian nationals for work abroad and at home. It sets out the rules on the documents to be submitted, the fees to be levied, the records to be kept, registration of workers’ data, regular reports by the Ministry on its work, the obligations of companies towards workers, registration of job applications and the drawing up of employment contracts.

24.The Labour Code (arts. 39 to 48) contains a comprehensive set of rules on the rights of migrant workers abroad and sets out the obligations of specialized companies operating in this domain to ensure respect for workers’ rights.

Reply to the question raised in paragraph 13 of the list of issues

Direct application of the provisions of the Convention

25.As a result of cooperation between the Egyptian Ministry of Justice and ILO, a judicial handbook on international labour standards was published in 2023, which sets out the Organization’s principles and what those principles aim to achieve in terms of justice and equality of opportunity, and outlines all international conventions and mechanisms related to workers, including migrant workers. The handbook is intended for all those involved in labour justice: judges, lawyers, and workers’ representatives from trade union organizations. It explains international labour standards and covers all core and priority agreements related to good governance of workers’ rights, including the Convention on Migrant Workers. The handbook also specifies where the Convention fits in the Egyptian legal system and the fact that it can be applied directly by the courts. The handbook provides examples of best practice with regard to remedies and reparations available to workers, along with a review of the case law of Egyptian, French and Netherlands courts.

Replies to the questions raised in paragraph 15 of the list of issues

Combating discrimination

26.Article 53 of the 2014 Constitution is the first constitutional provision to prohibit discrimination on the basis of religion, belief, sex, origin, race, colour, language, disability, social class or political or geographical affiliation or for any other reason. It also criminalizes discrimination and incitement to hatred and establishes an obligation for the State to take the necessary measures to eliminate all forms of discrimination. It has been established in case law that the forms of discrimination listed in the Constitution are not exhaustive but merely examples, as they are the most common forms in everyday life. Under article 16 bis (a) of the Criminal Code, any person who commits an act or refrains from committing an act that is likely to discriminate between individuals or against a group of people on the basis of sex, origin, language, religion or belief, and that results in a breach of the principle of equal opportunity or social justice or a breach of public peace, is liable to a prison term and/or a fine. In this context, the State has developed and implemented legal measures that protect migrant workers from all forms of discrimination by putting them on an equal footing with Egyptian citizens in terms of public rights, freedoms and duties, with the exception of citizenship rights. Accordingly, migrant workers and members of their families enjoy the rights set forth in the Convention and enjoy the legal protection of these rights and the available means of redress. The country’s legislation does not contain any provisions that discriminate against migrant workers.

27.The Ministry of Labour periodically issues instructions and pamphlets, which are distributed to work sites and production facilities and include information about the rights of migrant workers and members of their families, the mechanism for submitting complaints, and the mechanisms for regularizing their status if they are in an irregular situation. Foreign workers, even those in an irregular situation, enjoy the same rights as Egyptian workers in terms of submitting complaints to labour offices and labour courts, as they are subject to the same conditions. In all cases, they have the opportunity to regularize their status without having to leave the country, and they can obtain a work permit even if they have entered the country illegally. These provisions are posted at all work and production sites and in places where these workers gather.

Measures taken to ensure non-discrimination and mitigate the impact of the effects of climate change

28.In 2022, Egypt organized the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP27), which primarily aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote climate finance and climate change adaptation. The Conference sought to contribute to achieving climate justice by focusing on providing financial support to the countries most affected by climate change and on the need for developed countries to fulfil their financial obligations to finance climate action in developing countries. The Conference culminated in the establishment of a fund to finance loss and damage.

Reply to the question raised in paragraph 16 of the list of issues

Migrant workers’ right of access to justice

29.The Constitution guarantees the right to legal recourse for all persons – both Egyptian citizens and foreign nationals – as a fundamental constitutional principle. It has also been established in case law that, in accordance with its constitutional obligation, the State must guarantee to all individuals– both Egyptians and foreign nationals – easy access to the courts in addition to the protection of the rights established by its legislation. The case law also emphasizes that rights derived from legal instruments necessarily require the protection guaranteed by the Constitution or legislation, as simply having access to justice is not sufficient to guarantee the exercise of these rights. This access must always be accompanied by the removal of obstacles that prevent the settlement of situations arising from violations of these rights, especially those that take the form of complex procedures, so that the State provides the litigant with a fair solution based on the impartiality and independence of the court and ensures that the justice system is not used as a tool to discriminate against a particular group. The Labour Code provides for exemption from litigation fees in labour case and also regulates the role of trade union committees and the various means of settling labour disputes.

Reply to the question raised in paragraph 17 of the list ofissues

The legislative, administrative and judicial measures taken by the State to prevent violence against women and harmful practices

30.The Criminal Code provides legal protection against sexual offences and acts of violence against women, whether they are Egyptian or foreign nationals. Sexual assault is covered by a number of different offences, as the Code criminalizes sexual harassment, committing indecent acts with a woman, rape, sexual intercourse with a woman without her consent, indecent assault, genital mutilation, abduction of a woman, indecent exposure and indecent acts. It also criminalizes acts of violence against women such as early forced marriage, as well as protecting the data of victims of violence and harassment. The Code provides for severe criminal penalties. Egypt follows up on the implementation of strategic frameworks, including the National Strategy for the Elimination of Violence against Women, the monitoring and evaluation mechanism of the National Strategy for the Empowerment of Egyptian Women 2030, which also includes a special focus on protection against violence and an independent observatory to follow up on the implementation of national indicators, as well as the National Human Rights Strategy.

31.Egypt has also adopted a series of executive measures and policies, including the decision issued by the Prime Minister in 2021 on the establishment of the first joint unit for the protection of women against violence in order to accelerate procedures and provide all services in a one-stop unit. The decision includes the first explicit definition of violence against women, namely: “any act, behaviour or omission in violation of the Constitution and the law that results in harm or suffering to women, whether physical, material, moral, psychological, social or economic, or an attack on legally guaranteed rights and freedoms, whether in public or private, including threats, coercion, or arbitrary deprivation that is contrary to international agreements and commitments.” A special department to combat violence against women has been established in the Ministry of the Interior, and the number of female police officers has increased nationwide as part of the efforts of the Unit for Combating Violence against Women. In March 2020, the Ministry of the Interior published a handbook for effective police response to crimes of violence against women. A handbook for members of the public prosecution on how to deal with crimes of violence against women has also been issued. In addition, a handbook that gives an overview of the mechanisms for receiving and providing services for women victims of violence, and for training the staff of shelters, has been published. The Office of the Public Prosecutor has also established a special office for women. A total of 15 medical response units – Safe Women Clinics –have been opened at the university hospitals to cater to women who have been subjected to violence.

32.Between January 2020 and mid-August 2022, the Office of the Public Prosecutor investigated 72 cases of female genital mutilation, which resulted in 18 convictions. Between 2019 and 2023, the helpline run by the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood received 909 reports of female genital mutilation, including 695 reports of cases in which the procedure was not performed due to the intervention of the Council, in cooperation with the Public Prosecution Service, child protection committees and partner associations. In 2019, the National Committee for the Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation was established, co-chaired by the National Council for Women and the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood, with the aim of combining the efforts of State institutions and civil society organizations to eliminate female genital mutilation, including among migrants. As a result of the efforts of the Ministry of the Interior to combat the exploitation of children, between January 2014 and October 2023, 412 cases were identified, involving 609 defendants, 895minor victims and several offences, including marriage. Between November 2019 and October 2023, there were a total of 1,241 arrests of perpetrators of violence against women, including sexual harassment and assault.

Replies to the questions raised in paragraph 18 of the list of issues

Measures taken in respect of residence permits

33.The Ministry of the Interior grants residence permits for work for a period of one to three years to foreign nationals working in the Government, the business sector, affiliated companies, public bodies, local government units and companies contracted by ministries or government agencies, on the basis of a letter from the government agency. Foreign nationals working in the private and investment sectors are also granted residence permits to work for a period of one to three years based on a work permit. Work residency for a period of five years is also granted to foreign nationals who apply to the General Authority for Investments to study the feasibility of an investment project after the project is approved and they are considered investors. Foreign nationals working in special economic zones are treated like investors and granted residency for a period of five years. The spouse and children of foreign investors and workers are also granted residency on an equal footing. The investor’s parents (father and mother) and their family members are also granted a non-tourist residence permit for a renewable one-year period.

Access to birth certificates for migrant women in an irregular situation who have given birth in the State party

34.The Constitution and national legislation, including the Children’s Code, guarantee the registration of all births in Egypt, whether the parents are in a regular or irregular situation. Foreign nationals register the births of their children in accordance with articles 4, 6 and 19 of Act No. 143 of 1994 on Civil Status, which provides for mechanisms for the registration of births in Egypt whether to Egyptians or foreign nationals, at the offices of the Ministry of Health in the governorates within a maximum of 15 days of the birth. The Civil Status Bureau of the Ministry of the Interior registers births and issues birth certificates. Articles 68 and 77 of the Act establish penalties for those who fail to register the birth of a child. The Ministry of the Interior is responsible for taking all necessary measures to implement these mechanisms.

Reply to the question raised in paragraph 19 of the list of issues

35.The question of enacting legislation on the establishment of an anti-discrimination commission was discussed during the national dialogue; the legislation is still under consideration, particularly the purpose, independence and powers of the commission and the scope of the legislation.

Replies to the questions raised in paragraph 20 of the list of issues

Measures taken to ensure that migrant workers are protected from forced or compulsory labour

36.The Anti-Human Trafficking Act (No. 64) of 2010 criminalizes all contemporary forms of slavery and covers the use of force, violence, threats, kidnapping, abduction, deception, abuse of power and exploitation of a position of vulnerability or need, including acts of forced labour or service and slavery or slavery-like practices. Under the Labour Code, certain manifestations of forced labour, such as confinement of workers in their place of work and shifts of more than 10 hours, are prohibited. In all cases, it is prohibited for workers to be at their place of work for more than 12 hours a day. Under article 117 of the Criminal Code, forced labour and the unlawful withholding of workers’ wages are felonies if committed by a public official and misdemeanours if committed by a private individual.

37.The Ministry of Labour monitors recruitment processes to ensure that citizens are not subjected to exploitation or forced labour. Labour inspectors file human trafficking reports and inform the competent authorities and the Office of the Public Prosecutor as necessary. The labour inspection checklist has been amended to include among the items a suspicion of human trafficking. Inspection campaigns targeting labour-intensive businesses have been strengthened to detect any violations such as confinement of workers at their workplace, withholding of their documents, making them sign fake trust receipts or charging them with exaggerated debts. Labour inspectors are trained on the provisions of the Anti-Human Trafficking Act and the national referral mechanism. The National Coordinating Committee to Combat and Prevent Irregular Migration and Human Trafficking has published the Guide to the Protection of Egyptian Workers Abroad from Human Trafficking in light of the fact that Egyptian workers abroad may be exposed to pressures and practices that are sometimes characterized as exploitative, which is the common factor in all cases of trafficking. Egypt has also ratified the ILO Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29) and Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 (No. 105).

Measures taken to respect the liberty of parents and legal guardians to ensure the religious and moral education of their children

38.The Constitution explicitly states that freedom of belief is absolute and guarantees the right to freely practise religious rituals and establish places of worship for followers of the revealed religions. It provides that they can follow their own laws in matters of personal status and religious affairs andchoose their spiritual leaders and recognizes the plurality of the civilizational, cultural and religious heritage of Egypt.

Reply to the question raised in paragraph 22 of the list of issues

39.Act No. 82 of 2016, concerning irregular migration and migrant smuggling, is aimed at combating organizations involved in the crime of migrant smuggling. It criminalizes the formation or participation in such organizations and all forms of migrant smuggling. Under the Act, the smuggled migrant does not bear any criminal or civil liability for the migrant smuggling offences set forth in the Act, and the consent of the smuggled migrant or the consent of his or her guardian shall not be taken into account in the migrant smuggling offences stipulated in the Act. Under article 25 of the Act, the State is required to take appropriate measures to protect the rights of smuggled migrants, including their rights to life, humane treatment, healthcare, physical, moral and psychological integrity and privacy, and to inform them of their rights to legal assistance, while paying special attention to women and children. Pursuant to the Act, the competent Egyptian authorities also guarantee that smuggled migrants can request to contact the diplomatic or consular representative of their country and inform them of their situation in the hope of receiving assistance. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in coordination with the relevant authorities in other countries, facilitates the safe repatriation of foreign smuggled migrants to their countries after ascertaining that they hold the nationality of that country or are resident there, or to any other country that accepts them, provided that they have not committed crimes punishable under Egyptian law (arts. 26 and 27).

40.Under the Egyptian legal system, the same rules of criminal procedure apply to Egyptians as to foreign nationals, in addition to which supplementary rights are envisaged for the latter, due to their status as foreign nationals, such as the right to an interpreter, if required, and the right to contact the embassy of their country or, if stateless, of the country in which they normally reside, in accordance with the general instructions for prosecutors, which state that: “If the accused does not have sufficient knowledge of the language in which the proceedings are conducted and in which the records in the investigation file are drawn up, the right of defence requires that all records and papers be either translated into a language that the accused understands or that the accused be assisted to understand them through an interpreter.”

41.Immediately following an arrest, the law enforcement official is required to ask the accused person for his or her identity, to record any statements the person makes and to ask him or her about the charges against him or her, but not to interrogate him or her. The accused has the right to remain silent. The Office for International Cooperation, Judgment Enforcement and Prisoners’ Welfare examines requests for extradition then submits them to the Public Prosecutor. Staff of the Office study extradition requests submitted by other States and conduct the necessary investigations. During those investigations, the person whose extradition is being sought is informed of the charges and the evidence against him or her; his or her statement is recorded and documents submitted by the person concerned and the requesting State are attached thereto. The purpose of this is to verify the substantive reasons and legal grounds for extradition. If, having taken due account of all considerations – including the existence of a consistent pattern of gross, flagrant or mass violations of human rights in the State concerned – there are substantial grounds for believing that the person in question will be subjected to torture in the requesting State, the Public Prosecutor can reject the extradition request. The Prosecutor’s decision in that regard is binding upon all authorities of the State.

42.The Office of the Public Prosecutor cooperates with its counterparts in other countries and examines and fulfils requests for judicial cooperation in cases involving human trafficking offences in accordance with international conventions related to organized and transnational crimes. Memorandums of understanding have been signed with prosecution authorities in a number of countries to promote judicial cooperation, including the United States of America in 2019, Sudan and Libya in 2021, Armenia in 2022, and the Russian Federation in 2024.

43.Pursuant to the Irregular Migration and Migrant Smuggling Act, Prime Ministerial Decree No. 369 (2023) concerning the organization of the Fund for Combating Irregular Immigration and the Protection of Migrants and Witnesses and Presidential Decree No. 349 of 2024 on the organization of the Assistance Fund for Victims of Human Trafficking were issued. The two funds provide financing for care and rehabilitation programmes for smuggled migrants, as well as medical and psychological care for women and children, especially unaccompanied children, to protect them from all forms of violence and exploitation.

Reply to the question raised in paragraph 23 of the list of issues

Police or military facilities used as migration detention centres and the measures taken to improve conditions of detention

44.Egyptian policy is not to detain migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers in camps or special centres. They are granted freedom of movement as a basic human right, unlike in most countries that host refugees on their territories and are keen to restrict their movements and confine them to designated centres. The relevant State agencies also provide them with all necessary services during their stay, including education and healthcare, and with the same support given to citizens to obtain basic goods and services.

45.National penal and procedural laws and administrative instructions issued by the Ministry of Defence do not allow any military authority to detain civilians at its facilities or in holding cells, regardless of what they are called. In the event that a civilian is arrested by the military enforcement agencies in implementation of the law, said agencies are obliged, in accordance with legal and procedural rules and the agencies’ internal rules of procedure, to bring him or her before the competent judicial authority within a maximum of 24 hours; otherwise, the individual responsible for violating that rule will be held criminally and administratively accountable. Civilian defendants in respect of whom pretrial detention orders have been issued by the prosecution or a military court, or against whom rulings have been handed down by a military court legally competent to hear the case, are detained in the Ministry of the Interior’s community correctional and rehabilitation centres, in accordance with the relevantlaws and regulations, under the supervision of the Office of the Public Prosecutor.

Reply to the question raised in paragraph 24 of the list of issues

Extradition matters

46.Egyptian law regulates extradition procedures for foreign national in direct application of international agreements on extradition concluded by Egypt, whether bilateral or multilateral, agreements or that contain provisions regulating extradition, which acquire the force of law in accordance with article 151 of the Constitution. Some national legislation also regulates extradition procedures for offences of human trafficking, irregular migration and migrant smuggling. In the absence of an agreement, extradition is carried out according to international custom and the principle of reciprocity. The Public Prosecutor is competent to decide on extradition requests, either before the criminal prosecution stage, during the investigation or trial or after the final judgement.

47.Staff of the Office for International Cooperation, Judgement Enforcement and Prisoners’ Welfare study extradition requests submitted by other States and conduct the necessary investigations. During those investigations, the person whose extradition is being sought is informed of the charges and the evidence against him or her; his or her statement is recorded and documents submitted by the person concerned and the requesting State are attached thereto. The purpose of this is to verify the substantive reasons and legal grounds for extradition. If, having taken due account of all considerations – including the existence of a consistent pattern of gross, flagrant or mass violations of human rights in the State concerned – there are substantial grounds for believing that the person in question will be subjected to torture in the requesting State, the Public Prosecutor can reject the extradition request. The Prosecutor’s decision in that regard is binding upon all authorities of the State. The Office of the Public Prosecutor also cooperates with other countries and examines and implements requests for judicial cooperation in cases involving human trafficking offences in accordance with international conventions related to organized and transnational crimes.

Reply to the question raised in paragraph 25 of the list of issues

Measures to protect migrant workers from collective refoulement

48.As part of its commitment to protecting refugees residing on Egyptian territory, the Government recently approved a draft law on asylum. The draft law stipulates that refugees and asylum-seekers must regularize their status in accordance with the provisions of this law within one year from the date of implementation of the executive regulations, and provides for the establishment of the Standing Committee for Refugee Affairs. The Committee shall have legal personality, report to the Prime Minister, and handle all refugee affairs, including providing all aspects of support and care and services for refugees, and examining asylum applications for persons with disabilities, older persons, pregnant women, unaccompanied minors, and victims of human trafficking and torture.

49.Since the outbreak of the war in Gaza, the borders have not been closed, and the State has been liaising with the Palestinian Red Crescent. The border has been opened for more than 4,000 injured Palestinians and more than 1,000 families, in addition to more than 48,000 dual nationals and third-country citizens. It is also open for the passage of humanitarian aid; 60 per cent of all aid comes via Egypt, and is provided on an ongoing basis to Palestinians in Gaza. Assistance is also provided to Palestinians who have moved to governorates in Egypt; more than $380 million in healthcare assistance has been provided to ensure services for medical evacuees and their families, in addition to humanitarian assistance. Healthcare services are provided in accordance with an emergency plan that brings together more than 35,000 doctors, 39,000 nurses, and 150 equipped ambulances, through the Ministry of Health and Population’s command and control and crisis management room. In this context, specialized surgeries have been facilitated, preventive services have been provided, and the necessary vaccines have been administered.

Reply to the question raised in paragraph 26 of the list of issues

The geographical distribution of Egyptian embassies and consulates

50.There are a total of 164 Egyptian embassies and consulates, all of which aim to strengthen the attachment of Egyptians abroad to their homeland and to help them preserve their national identity. The embassies and consulates provide support, protect the interests of Egyptians abroad and resolve their problems, including by seeking to regularize the status of irregular workers. There are nine Egyptian labour offices abroad, located in eight countries (Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Iraq, Qatar, Lebanon and Italy). The labour offices provide protection and assistance to about five million Egyptian migrant workers. From 2020 to 2024, these offices helped Egyptian migrant workers to obtain financial dues amounting to LE 1,007,891,313. During that period, they also contributed to the creation of some 279,244 job opportunities, settled 17,763 complaints out of a total of 22,724, and advised rights holders to seek legal recourse in 3,680 disputes.

51.During the period from 1 January 2020 to 30 July 2024, a total of 678,424 passports were issued or renewed for Egyptians abroad. The Ministry of the Interior also dispatches teams to Egyptian missions abroad to issue various identification documents, such as national identity cards and birth certificates, to Egyptians living abroad.

Reply to the question raised in paragraph 27 of the list of issues

Measures taken to guarantee the fundamental rights of migrant workers, in particular those employed in the informal sector

52.Labour inspectors verify foreign workers’ employment contracts, wages, and the terms and conditions of their work. They notify the National Social Insurance Authority of the details of uninsured workers on the same basis as Egyptian workers. Inspectors are trained on the mechanism for monitoring the labour conditions of migrant workers, which involves conducting periodic and unannounced inspections, receiving complaints and notifications, and cooperating with relevant authorities, such as the National Social Insurance Authority. There are 531 labour and occupational health and safety inspection offices, staffed by 1,562labour inspectors equipped with tablets and checklists to facilitate their work. A total of 24,810 complaints and notifications have been received and have been investigated or are still under investigation, 333,254 facilities have been inspected, 25,444 reports have been written, 11,017 inspection campaigns have been undertaken, and 2,121,800 cases have been handled.

Reply to the question raised in paragraph 28 of the list of issues

Access to social security and social assistance and registration of migrant workers

53.Egyptians working abroad can register with the Ministry of Labour through its official website. This service allows them to register by filling in their information such as name, national identity card number, country in which they are working, mobile number, including country code, and reason for travel. In addition to the establishment of the Ministry of Emigration and the Affairs of Egyptians Abroad, which provides a range of services to Egyptians abroad and has launched many initiatives to support them, the Egyptian State has established channels to maintain continuous communication with Egyptians abroad so as to be informed of their needs and concerns and work to find solutions to them and to seek to enhance their role and make them partners in the development process in Egypt.

54.In terms of social security and social assistance, the Protection and Insurance Fund for Egyptians Abroad was established to provide an umbrella for social protection and insurance against emergencies that Egyptians may experience in various parts of the world. The Fund is voluntary rather than mandatory. Many of its services will be restricted to subscribers only. It will also have a solidarity component available to the most vulnerable citizens or those facing difficult socioeconomic circumstances outside the country. The Ministry of Social Solidarity and Nasser Bank will make regular annual contributions to the Fund. This will provide Egyptian nationals with full protection abroad, especially in times of crisis, and provide them with social and insurance protection against emergency situations, whether an accident or leaving a job abroad. It will also cover legal assistance, including the repatriation of bodies in the event of death by accident or due to natural causes. In addition, since July 2021, the Egyptian authorities have issued travel insurance policies along with passports, and mandatory insurance for Egyptians abroad has been introduced, with the aim of providing them with protection against the risks of illness, death, theft and deportation, up to a value of 30,000 euros at a time, provided that the travel period does not exceed 90 consecutive days. There are several group insurance policies concluded by Egyptian communities abroad, which cover exceptional circumstances and are valid in a number of Arab countries. The Egyptian Government encourages these kinds of group insurance arrangements.

Replies to the questions raised in paragraph 29 of the list of issues

Access to primary and secondary education for children of migrant workers

55.The Government provides a number of benefits for migrants of different nationalities in the field of education, especially basic education. Refugee and migrant children are treated on an equal footing with Egyptian students and are integrated into the Egyptian education system. A number of migrants also receive other benefits in the field of education, such as a reduction in tuition fees for foreign students who have obtained an Egyptian secondary school certificate and are eligible according to the minimum admission requirements for Egyptian universities and institutes. A total of 85,141 expatriate, migrant and refugee students of all nationalities are registered with the Ministry of Education and enrolled in Egyptian schools, of which 47,239 are in public schools and 37,902 in private schools. Migrant and refugee students are also entitled to enrol in public schools on an exceptional basis if they so wish. In addition to the above, the Ministry of Higher Education takes a number of measures to facilitate access for international students to Egyptian universities and institutes, including a reduction in tuition fees for international students who have obtained an Egyptian secondary school diploma and are eligible, according to the minimum admission standards, for admission to Egyptian universities and institutes, and a reduction in tuition fees for international students with certain nationalities who do not have an Egyptian secondary school diploma.

Child labour and the presence of unaccompanied children in the agricultural and informal sectors

56.The Constitution and the law prohibit the employment of children under the age of 15 or the training of children under 13. It is also prohibited to employ children in jobs that may endangertheir health, safety or morals or to engage them in employment for more than six hours a day, including rest hours. Egypt has ratified the ILO Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182). The Ministry of Labour has amended its decree containing the list of hazardous jobs and professions in which it is prohibited either to employ or to train children under the age of 18. The Ministry of Labour, in cooperation with the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood, has issued a national plan to combat the worst forms of child labour 2018–2025, which aims to eliminate child labour by 2025. The Ministry also carries out unannounced inspections on establishments where children are employed: 44,388establishments have been visited of which 31,850 were found to be compliant and 11,339 received a warning; in all, 997 reports were filed. Thanks to the inspections, 50,549children were protected. In addition to this, a standardized procedural manual to combat child labour has been developed, and training on the manual has been dispensed to Council staff and representatives of protection units in a number of governorates. The Council’s child helpline also receives reports of child labour. The percentage of children aged 5–17 who are involved in economic activities or domestic labour fell from 7 per cent in 2014 to 4.9 per cent in 2021.

Reply to the question raised in paragraph 30 of the list of issues

Migrant workers’ access to health services and emergency medical care

57.Migrants and refugees residing in the country have access to all primary healthcare services and vaccinations on an equal footing with Egyptian nationals, not only in medical emergencies, but in the framework of various health campaigns, in which they have been included. They have also been included in the national polio campaign, deworming campaigns in schools and the presidential initiative for the early detection of obesity and stunting among primary school pupils. During the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the Government endeavoured to provide protection and support to expatriates and foreign nationals on its territory and to make available to them all healthcare and medical services on an equal footing with Egyptian citizens as part of national efforts to deal with the pandemic and obtain COVID-19 vaccinations.

58.The report issued by IOM in August 2022 also emphasizes the fact that migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers in Egypt have access to national services in the education and health sectors on an equal basis with Egyptian nationals. Using State-run hospitals, the Ministry also cooperated with UNHCR and the World Health Organization (WHO) to provide advanced treatment to them. The Ministry has also signed protocols of cooperation for the supply of modern equipment for the early diagnosis of breast tumours as well as for incubators, dialysis machines, intensive care beds and ventilators.

Reply to the question raised in paragraph 31 of the list of issues

Ability to transfer savings

59.Remittances from Egyptians working abroad increased to $2.6 billion in mid-2024 from $1.5 billion in mid-2023. In August 2024, the Central Bank of Egypt issued a decision to facilitate the opening of accounts for non-resident foreign clients in Egypt. The decision is intended to incentivize banks to open accounts for foreign clients and to eliminate the difficulties they face in accessing basic banking services in Egypt. According to an announcement by the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics in June 2024 and to data from the World Bank, Egypt ranked sixth in the world among countries receiving financial remittances from overseas workers in 2023. The State has also taken initiatives to increase the volume of remittances from Egyptian migrants abroad through digital channels. The Central Bank of Egypt has negotiated with a number of banks in Arab countries to allow remittances to be sent to customers’ accounts in Egypt via mobile remittance applications as of 2024. The Central Bank also participated in a project to develop a unified Arab regional platform for multi-currency payments between Arab countries, and Egyptian banks offered dollar deposit certificates with competitive yields that are among the highest in the world.

Reply to the question raised in paragraph 32 of the list of issues

Exercising voting rights and participating in public affairs for Egyptians abroad

60.The Act on the Exercise of Political Rights lays down the rules for Egyptians abroad to vote in elections and referendums on an equal footing with Egyptians at home. Before all legislative and presidential elections, the National Electoral Authority issues decisions establishing the number of electoral commissions abroad. Polling stations are located at the Egyptian embassies and consulates abroad. In order to enable people to exercise their constitutional right to vote, the National Electoral Authority notifies Egyptians living abroad of the opening of the registration process on its official website, which remains open for several days. The Authority determines specific days on which Egyptians abroad can vote, ranging from two to three days at each electoral stage or in the run-off stage in the elections for the Senate and the House of Representatives. Following the elections to the House of Representatives, eight candidates were elected to fill the seats reserved for the representation of Egyptians abroad. For the presidential election in December 2023, 137 polling stations were opened in 121 countries, marking the eleventh time that Egyptians abroad have been entitled to participate in the electoral process since 2011.

Reply to the question raised in paragraph 33 of the list ofissues

Facilitating the reunification of migrant workers with their families

61.Articles 26 to 30 of the Labour Code set out the rules governing the work of foreign nationals and the Code establishes the general framework applicable to them. Under the Code, the Minister of Labour may issue implementing decrees, including exceptions to these rules in social or economic situations or as required by the labour market.

Granting of residence permits to family members of migrant workers

62.In addition to what is stated in paragraph 33 of the replies to the list of issues, the Ministry has in many cases granted residence permits to foreign nationals in an irregular situation who do not meet the eligibility requirements for such a permit on the basis of social considerations such as marriage, family reunification or the need to enrol children in school.

Reply to the question raised in paragraph 34 of the list of issues

Cessation of remunerated activity prior to the expiration of the work permit

63.It is possible to continue to work or to change jobs in accordance with article 28 of the Labour Code, which states that foreign nationals may not engage in work unless they obtain a work permit from the competent ministry and authorization to enter the country and reside there for work. For the purposes of applying this provision, work is understood to mean any paid employment or any occupation or trade, including domestic work. According to article 29 of the Code, the competent minister shall establish in a decision the conditions for obtaining the work permit referred to in article 28, the application and renewal procedures, the data the permit contains, and the applicable fee, which shall not be less than LE 1,000.

64.The Labour Code specifies the cases in which the permit may be cancelled before its expiration date and in which foreign nationals are exempt from the requirement to obtain a permit. Anyone who employs a foreign national who has been exempted from the requirement to obtain a permit must notify the competent administrative authority of such employment within seven days of the person having commenced work and upon termination of employment. The Code has specifically expanded the definition of “work” in this chapter to include any paid employment, occupation or trade. Consequently, ministerial decisions regulate the granting of work permits for foreign nationals who are entrepreneurs or members of boards of directors or who exercise a profession or trade, and allow foreign workers to change employers and the type of work or activity they are engaged in. The ministerial decisions also allow foreign workers to regularize their legal status and to reside in the country until their status has been regularized.

Reply to the question raised in paragraph 35 of the list of issues

Addressing irregular migration

65.In 2019, Egypt adopted the presidential “Lifeboats” initiative as part of its implementation of the Government’s programme and the Sustainable Development Strategy: Egypt Vision 2030, with the aim of combating irregular migration and raising awareness of its dangers and introducing safe migration routes that guarantee all legal rights, with positive employment alternatives and entrepreneurship opportunities for young people in governorates where irregular migration is widespread. This will be done through community awareness programmes on the dangers of irregular migration and the provision of training, employment and safe alternatives for young people and for community development in the governorates from which most irregular migrants come. The Egyptian-German Job, Migration and Reintegration Centre was established pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 51 of 2020 following an exchange of correspondence between Egypt and Germany with a view to supporting the Egyptian component of the “Migration for Development” project. The Centre’s aims are to train young people and enable them to find job opportunities abroad, as well as reintegrating Egyptians returning from abroad and finding them job opportunities in Egypt. During the first phase of its work, the Centre provided about 30,000 services to some 13,000 beneficiaries, of whom 350 obtained jobs in Germany. The European Commission has approved funding of €4 million for the Centre’s reintegration efforts.

Replies to the questions raised in paragraph 36 of the list of issues

Financial resources allocated for the implementation of the Anti-Human Trafficking Act

66.Egypt is eager to pursue a comprehensive policy to address the crime of human trafficking, a policy underpinned by four United Nations-approved pillars: prevention, protection, punishment and international cooperation. The National Coordinating Committee to Combat and Prevent Irregular Migration and Human Trafficking, which comprises 30ministries and agencies, ensures the implementation of the objectives set out in the Third National Anti-Trafficking Strategy 2022–2026. The Strategy has a particular focus on victim protection, via the updating of national referral mechanisms and improved capacity-building for social protection workers (including those who work on helplines), “Female Rural Pioneers”, social workers, labour inspectors and law enforcement agencies. The Committee also launched the National Strategy to Prevent Irregular Migration (2016–2026) and its associated action plans. The State boosted financial resources by establishing two funds, one to combat irregular migration and protect migrants and witnesses, and the other to help victims of human trafficking. National efforts are also being pursued when it comes to prosecutions. The Office of the Public Prosecutor investigated 116 human trafficking cases in 2022, and 47 judgments were handed down between April and October 2022. The trafficking offences in question took various forms: forced labour, begging, sexual exploitation, and organ removal. Thirty-three of the aforementioned convictions were for forced labour and sexual exploitation.

Measures taken to prevent and punish cases of domestic servitude, forced labour or sexual exploitation of migrant workers

67.The Labour Code recognizes the right of foreign nationals to engage in work, including domestic service, after obtaining the necessary permit, in accordance with article 28, chapter 2, which regulates the employment of foreign nationals. A bill on domestic workers is also being drafted, which aims to provide protection and care for this group, regularize their status, integrate them into the formal labour market, provide support for training and qualifications and the issuance of certificates of professional practice, and ensure that they have legal dealings with recruitment agencies and employers through official employment contracts and work permits. The bill covers training for domestic workers, working hours, holidays, wages, insurance, home inspection mechanisms and the submission of complaints, in addition to other provisions that take account of their interests and the specific nature of that form of work. With regard to the criminalization of forced labour and cases of forced labour, reference is made to the response provided in paragraph 30 of this document. The Anti-Human Trafficking Act criminalizes all forms of trafficking and exploitation, including sexual exploitation.

Providing protection to victims of human trafficking

68.In addition to awareness and training programmes for law enforcement officials, in 2019 the National Coordinating Committee to Combat and Prevent Irregular Migration and Human Trafficking, in cooperation with IOM, launched a media campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of human trafficking. The first phase of the campaign was selected as the best among the awareness campaigns conducted by 100 IOM offices worldwide. Awareness-raising efforts have continued through various media campaigns. The second phase of the campaign ran from November 2020 to September 2022.

Means of identifying and assisting victims of human trafficking

69.In cooperation with the National Coordinating Committee, various national authorities have produced a series of manuals for public prosecutors, schoolteachers and diplomats, as well as indicators, a national referral form for victims of human trafficking, and a checklist for labour inspectors that includes suspicion of human trafficking. These manuals and references include a definition of human trafficking crimes and explain how to identify and deal with victims and refer them to the services they need using the national referral form. The National Committee, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Labour, the Office of thePublic Prosecutor, the National Council for Women, the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood and the Anti-Money Laundering Unit participated in training on these manuals.

Efforts to investigate acts of trafficking in persons and judgments issued

70.During the period from January 2019 to March 2023, 1,250 persons were arrested in 1,030 cases related to irregular migration, and 442 persons were arrested in 236 cases related to human trafficking. Rulings in relation to human trafficking offences were handed down in 72 cases between 2021 and 2023. During the same period,327 victims of human trafficking were referred to the relevant services. In 2023, 151 victims – 70 boys and 76 girls under the age of 18 and 5 adult women – received services, including accommodation.

Establishment of shelters and provision of assistance to victims of human trafficking

71.Accommodation is provided at a shelter for victims of human trafficking or one of the other shelters. Victims are provided with legal protection and are isolated from potential perpetrators, the confidentiality of their data is ensured, and they receive legal assistance and the necessary medical and psychological care. Shelters provide services including medical and psychosocial rehabilitation, food, primary healthcare and prevention of infectious diseases. The Ministry of Social Solidarity also supervises other specialized centres that take in victims according to their needs, namely 18 homes for girls, 28 homes for boys, 19 homes for adult men, and 13 homes for adult women.

Training of law enforcement officials, judges, prosecutors, labour inspectors and other service providers

72.In 2023, the National Coordination Committee, in cooperation with national authorities and relevant United Nations organizations, held 54 training sessions for 1,400trainees from various categories of law enforcement, namely police officers, prosecutors, judges from the courts of appeal and the Court of Cassation, and court employees. Methods used during the training sessions included moot courts and panel discussions. In addition, 21 training sessions were organized for 680 trainees, especially those known internationally as “first responders”, such as social workers and the Ministry of Social Solidarity’s rapid intervention team, healthcare providers, especially emergency doctors, and civil society organizations, labour inspectors and staff of the Ministry of Labour, staff of hotlines that receive complaints of human trafficking, and workers at the Ministry of Civil Aviation, in addition to business owners, religious leaders, diplomats, media professionals, forensic doctors, and representatives of the Customs Authority.

The annual budget dedicated to detecting cases of human trafficking

73.The National Coordinating Committee is not the only authority responsible for allocating resources. The Ministry of the Interior, the Administrative Oversight Authority, the Anti-Money-Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing Unit, and the Ministry of Labour also allocate resources from their own budgets for this purpose. In 2023, the National Coordinating Committee allocated LE 7.5 million from its own budget for awareness-raising campaigns on human trafficking and irregular migration. Funding allocated for the care of victims currently staying at the shelter for victims of human trafficking amounts to LE 1 million, while the annual subsidy for women’s reception and guidance centres is LE 3.589 million.

Collection of data on victims of trafficking

74.The National Coordinating Committee works in cooperation with all competent judicial and police authorities to develop and update the database on trafficking crimes with a view to enhancing cooperation and identifying the necessary solutions to combat and reduce the problem. In 2020, the Office of the Public Prosecutor introduced an online criminal justice programme that includes investigations into human trafficking cases, which makes it possible to analyse information on human trafficking, irregular migration and migrant smuggling offences.

Access to temporary or permanent residence permits for victims of human trafficking

75.Victims admitted to shelters stay there until their rehabilitation has been completed, during which time they are provided with all services necessary for their well-being. Afterwards, steps are taken in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the embassy of the victim’s country of nationality to discuss arrangements for their voluntary return.

Measures taken to disseminate information on smuggling of migrants and trafficking in persons, the risks associated with irregular migration and assistance to victims

76.The Government recognizes the importance of its role in preventing both crimes. The National Coordinating Committee runs regular awareness campaigns targeting Egyptian citizens and foreign migrants alike, which are translated into English, on the dangers of these crimes and ways to protect against them. In 2019, in cooperation with IOM, it launched a media campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of human trafficking. The first phase of the campaign was selected as the best among the awareness campaigns conducted by 100 IOM offices worldwide.

77.Awareness-raising efforts have continued through various media campaigns. The second phase of thecampaign ran from November 2020 to September 2022. Campaigns have also been conducted to raise awareness of the dangers of irregular migration and the crime of migrant smuggling, and some of the activities carried out in this context have been viewed more than 12 million times on social media. In 2018, the National Coordinating Committee also joined the Aware-Migrants campaign launched by the Italian Ministry of the Interior in collaboration with IOM, which aims to raise awareness among potential migrants about the dangers of the journey across the desert and the Mediterranean Sea. It also organized media campaigns on persons who returned after illegally migrating in 2022, aiming to present real-life experiences about the dangers of irregular migration, raise awareness among young people, present alternatives to irregular migration, such as job and training opportunities, and address misconceptions about the possibility of achieving success and improving material and social status through irregular migration.

Measures taken to strengthen international, regional and bilateral cooperation to prevent and combat smuggling of migrants and trafficking in persons

78.Egypt is committed to participating in international efforts to strengthen migration governance and combat migrant smuggling, as demonstrated by its accession to the 2000 United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its protocols, as well as relevant international conventions and regional agreements, including the Arab Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, signed in Cairo in 2010. Egypt also participates in the implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, adopted in December 2018. For the second time, Egypt currently holds the one-year chair of the Khartoum Process, having taken over in April 2024. The Khartoum Process is a platform for political cooperation among the countries along the migration route between the Horn of Africa and Europe. During the Egyptian presidency of the Khartoum Process, a number of meetings and workshops will be organized on priority issues such as creating pathways for regular migration, labour mobility, skills development, complementarity between the humanitarian, development and peacebuilding dimensions in dealing with displacement crises, the relationship between displacement and climate change, combating migrant smuggling and human trafficking and the importance of applying the principle of burden- and responsibility-sharing.

Measures taken to search for migrants who have disappeared and/or died in transit

79.The families of missing or deceased Egyptians contact the consular section of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which makes the necessary contacts. Persons who contact the National Coordinating Committee are referred to the consular section. In the case of foreign nationals, their embassy or consulate contacts the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which in turn refers the matter to the security authorities. In 2014, IOM launched an initiative to document deaths and disappearances that occur during the migration process.