New legislation to bolster services for Egypt's disabled
The Egyptian parliament is discussing a groundbreaking bill to guarantee the rights of Egypt's disabled population, addressing some but not all of the obstacles that have impeded the constitutional provisions in this matter so far.
The Egyptian parliament is currently discussing a first-of-its-kind bill in support of people with disabilities submitted by the Solidarity Committee on May 24. If passed, the bill would work to integrate individuals with disabilities into society, provide them with proper living conditions and eradicate disability-based discrimination.
Per the bill, people with disabilities will be issued identification cards that will grant them many privileges such as shorter working hours for themselves or those taking care of them at all governmental and nongovernmental institutions. Disabled ID card holders will also be provided with suitable housing and transportation. Educational institutions shall prioritize the integration of disabled individuals, and governmental and financial institutions shall be better equipped to accommodate them and facilitate their access to services.
Disability rights activist Nada Thabet expressed relief at the bill's contents, which civic associations and civil society organizations took part in drafting along with the Ministry of Social Solidarity and the parliamentary Solidarity Committee.
Thabet told Al-Monitor, “A law governing the rights of disabled people is better than all the ministerial decrees issued previously to this end.” But Thabet was concerned that some governmental institutions would not fully comply with the new bill due to barriers such as the lack of experts in dealing with disabled people and the financial crisis the government is going through. Noncompliance for these reasons could make it harder to renovate institutional buildings to accommodate these individuals.
