The Minister of Labor discusses with a delegation from the International Labor Organization the roadmap and timeframe for cooperation in preparing the draft law on domestic workers

- Expediting the completion of the project according to international standards... to provide social protection and integration into the formal labor market...

Minister of Labor Hassan Radad received a delegation from the International Labour Organization (ILO) office in Cairo, headed by Eric Oechslin, at his office on Monday to discuss the roadmap for drafting the Domestic Workers Law. This is in implementation of the directives of His Excellency President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, aimed at providing legal and social protection for this category of workers, in accordance with international labor standards and relevant conventions. During the meeting, the Minister emphasized the depth of cooperation and partnership between the Ministry of Labor and the ILO, stressing Egypt's commitment to implementing international agreements and standards, considering this a firm approach that enjoys the direct support and guidance of the political leadership.

The Minister of Labor indicated that the Ministry has made significant progress in drafting the law through social dialogue sessions and consultations with various stakeholders. He emphasized the importance of continued coordination with the International Labour Organization (ILO) in the coming phase and the development of an urgent timeline and implementation plan to complete all stages of the drafting process, while drawing on best international practices and experiences in this field. The Minister explained that the goal is not merely to issue a law regulating domestic workers, but to formulate a comprehensive system that ensures effective implementation, strengthens social protection, and provides a decent working environment for this group. This will achieve a balance between the rights and responsibilities of all parties and contribute to integrating domestic workers into the formal and regulated labor market.

The two sides also discussed a number of proposed pathways for finalizing the draft law, which will be overseen by specialized technical working groups, according to a specific roadmap and timetable, to ensure the completion of all stages of the draft's preparation. These pathways include axes and provisions related to social protection, skills, specializations, labor relations, fair employment, social dialogue, the mutual rights and obligations of the parties to the employment relationship, and implementation and follow-up mechanisms, ensuring the effective application of the law's provisions immediately upon its issuance. For its part, the ILO delegation presented a number of visions and proposals regarding avenues for cooperation and coordination during the next phase, emphasizing the organization's readiness to provide technical support and exchange expertise, which will contribute to finalizing the draft law in accordance with best practices and international standards, and will strengthen the principles of decent work and social protection for domestic workers in Egypt.