Egypt is stepping up efforts to introduce comprehensive legislation regulating domestic work, with the Ministry of Labour and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) agreeing on a roadmap to finalise a draft law aimed at strengthening legal and social protection for domestic workers.
The roadmap was the focus of discussions on Monday between Minister of Labour Hassan Radad and a delegation from the ILO Office in Cairo, led by Eric Oechslin.
The initiative comes in line with directives from President Abdel Fattah El Sisi to enhance the legal and social protection afforded to domestic workers in accordance with international labour standards and relevant conventions.
During the meeting, Radad reaffirmed the longstanding partnership between the ministry and the ILO, underscoring Egypt’s commitment to implementing international labour standards and agreements.
He said the ministry has made significant progress in preparing the draft legislation through an extensive process of social dialogue and consultations with a broad range of stakeholders.
Radad also stressed the importance of maintaining close coordination with the ILO during the next phase and called for an accelerated timetable and implementation plan to complete the remaining stages of the drafting process while drawing on international best practice.
He said the objective is not simply to regulate domestic work through legislation, but to establish a comprehensive framework that ensures effective implementation, strengthens social protection, promotes decent working conditions, and balances the rights and responsibilities of both workers and employers.
The discussions also examined proposals for finalising the draft law through specialised technical working groups operating under a clearly defined roadmap and timetable.
The proposed framework covers key areas including social protection, occupational skills and classifications, labour relations, fair recruitment and employment practices, social dialogue, the reciprocal rights and obligations of workers and employers, as well as implementation and monitoring mechanisms to ensure the law is effectively enforced once enacted.
The ILO delegation presented a number of proposals to support the next phase of the drafting process and reaffirmed the organisation’s readiness to provide technical assistance and share international expertise.
