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CAIRO – 22 April 2021: After being in the International Labour Organization (ILO)’s blacklist for five years in a row, Egypt has been removed from the ILO’s latest list.
Minister of Manpower Mohamed Safaan said in a Thursday statement that the ministry received a letter from the Geneva-based ILO, stating that Egypt is not in the list of observations.
The list includes 40 Arab and African states as well as other member states that have not adhered to the ILO’s agreements which they ratified. The list is produced in April every year of 40 countries, which are reduced to 24 to be discussed.
The observations on these states will be discussed in June in the presence of government representatives, workers and businessmen from 187 countries that are members in the organization.
Most recently, Egypt took massive steps by lifting restrictions on woman’s ability to work at night, giving her upon on her choice to work in any institution or facility of any type and simultaneously taking all the necessary measures to protect their health, provide protection and safety measures of safe transportation and healthcare.
The decree that lift restrictions on profession and industries took into consideration the principles of equality and non-discrimination in work, guarantees for women to work while in line with international labor agreements, ensure the safety of women in pregnant and breastfeeding periods not to be exposed to risks from in jobs and situations that endanger their health.
As of Wednesday, Egypt will start the implementation pf the new law signed by Minister of Manpower Mohamed Saafan on regulate women’s night work shifts, work conditions during pregnancy and restricting employing them to work underground or in mines.
The law’s first article states that: Women, upon their request, can work during night shifts in any facility, however, they should be provided the necessary measures to protect their health, assist them in carrying out their family responsibilities, and receive the necessary health care to avoid any problems associated with work.
The second article of resolution No. 43 of 2021 stipulates that the employer is obligated to provide daytime shifts as an alternative to night work for any working woman if they were pregnant, as their shifts must be modified during a period of at least sixteen weeks before and after a childbirth, of which at least eight weeks before the likely date of childbirth.
The third article affirmed that all night shifts for women must be in accordance with the controls and guarantees stipulated in law and that the employment of women at night shifts in any industrial establishment should be from 10 pm. until 7 am.
The law explained its exceptions as: women working in management or administration, for urgent circumstances or if avoiding night shifts will cause a huge loss for the employer.
The law also obligated the employers to provide transportations for women during night shifts to guarantee their security.
The second part of the law impose restrictions on women’s employment in the heavy industrial fields including mining, bakeries, porterage services and all jobs that include risks.
The restrictions also imposed on any industry that include chemical, biological or physical hazards.
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