Egypt's Disability Rights Law is Failing Thousands as Sham Employment and Workplace Barriers Persist

Author: Sheetal Frank

June 5, 2026

HRRC strongly condemns any discrimination and exclusion of people with disabilities and barriers to employment. We call on the Egyptian authorities to implement measures to ensure inclusivity, fair pay and workplace accessibility for people with disabilities so they can also have the right to work and benefit from equal opportunities. We also urge the government to review the proposal for amendments to the 2018 disability law, ensuring that any person with a disability is not disqualified from legal protection and can be provided with the necessary support to contribute positively to society.

A man with a disability builds mobility products in Cairo, Egypt, August 8, 2017 [Photo Credit: Mohamed Abd El Ghany / Reuters]

A recent report published by Human Rights Watch on June 1, 2026, has found that people with disabilities in Egypt face obstacles to their right to work despite the 2018 disability rights law. The legislation was created to protect the rights of disabled people and promote inclusion in workplaces, but many continue to face discrimination, stigma, inaccessible workplaces, barriers to obtaining a national disability card, ineffective job quotas and underpaid sham roles.

Egypt’s Law No. 10 of 2018 on the rights of persons with disabilities is the legal framework to provide equality, social protection, and fundamental freedoms for individuals with disabilities. The mandate requires private and public employers with 20 or more employees to grant 5% of jobs to individuals with disabilities. If employers refuse to uphold the law, they risk being prosecuted. The legislation also includes social protection, providing monthly financial assistance and health coverage, and for educational institutions to promote inclusivity and equal opportunities for children with disabilities. 

The Egyptian government proposed changes to the 2018 disability law in 2025, and the bill is currently being debated in parliament. The amendment raises concerns over its revised definition of disability, further restricting the type of people who can be classified as disabled, meaning only a small number of individuals would be entitled to legal protection and financial support.

Despite the efforts of the government to implement inclusion and fair opportunities for people with disabilities, many individuals still encounter barriers in employment, leaving many excluded from the workforce and at high risk of unemployment, poverty and economic insecurity. Many organisations in Egypt lack resources to manage effective recruitment processes for disabled people, such as ramps, elevators and accessible restrooms, which can help people with disabilities navigate their surroundings with less difficulty. In particular, many women living with disabilities in Egypt are marginalised and subjected to far greater educational and employment barriers compared to their male counterparts with disabilities, with 82% of women out of employment. 

There is a widespread practice that many employers fraudulently hire people with disabilities, as 32.2% of people surveyed in Egypt’s 2022 national survey on disability said they were employed but not assigned actual work. Employers do this to meet the quota criteria. Human Rights Watch criticised this practice, saying that this reinforces “harmful stereotypes” leading people to believe that those with disabilities cannot successfully contribute to the workplace, further denying them of their rights to fair pay, professional development, economic independence and workplace inclusion. 

Under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, ratified by Egypt in 2008, the state has an obligation to uphold the law, provide equal opportunities for people with disabilities, promote inclusive employment policies and accommodate those with physical impairments to prevent exclusion and promote diversity. Human Rights Watch further adds that with the right training and accessibility, it can strengthen the economy in Egypt, leading to an equal future in employment.

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Glossary

• Amendment - An official change to a law, contract or government document to add, remove or update existing details.

• Counterparts - A person who holds the same position or function as somebody else in a different location or organisation.

• Denying - To withhold or refuse a person of privileges or freedoms that they would be entitled to.

• Disability - It is any physical or mental condition that significantly limits a person’s ability to engage in day-to-day activities, such as work, learning and self-care.

• Discrimination - It is unfair treatment and prejudice of an individual or group based on factors such as race, gender, age, religion or disability.

• Disqualified- To be officially declared as ineligible, unfit or barred from participation.

• Diversity in the workplace - To employ people from a wide range of backgrounds, identities and experiences.

• Economic insecurity - The fear or concern of adverse life events causing financial difficulty due to job loss or illness.

• Fraudulently - An action taken with dishonesty or in an illegal way with the intention to deceive someone for personal or financial gain.

• Human Rights Watch - A non-governmental organisation responsible for investigating and reporting on human rights issues and advocating for human rights abuses.

• Job quota- It is a legal mandate for employers to reserve jobs for a specific group of people from a particular demographic, such as people with disabilities, to promote diversity.

• Law No. 10 of 2018 on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities - Legislation for disabled Egyptians, focusing on their rights, equality, inclusion, and legal protections.

• Mandate - Refers to an official order, a command to do something by a court.

• Marginalised - Treating someone unfairly who is deemed not to be important and excluded from social, economic and political life.

• National disability card (also known as the Integrated Services Card) - This is granted to people with disabilities to access services and benefits such as healthcare, education and employment opportunities. 

• Obligation - An action that is required to be taken by law or a formal contract.

• Prosecution - The legal process of charging someone for a crime and going through a trial.

• Ratified - To give formal or official consent to a law or agreement to make it valid and agree to upload it.

• Social exclusion - Individuals or groups can be marginalised and denied access to rights, opportunities and resources, preventing people from fully participating in society.

• Social protection - Policies designed to prevent poverty, vulnerability and social exclusion - providing families with financial support and resources to manage through crisis.

• Stereotypes - The assumption that a certain group of people are all the same and possess the same traits and characteristics.

• Stigma - Disapproval or negative belief that a society or group holds about a person, a trait or a condition.

• Systematic barriers - These are obstacles within the structures of society, organisations, and institutions that limit certain groups of people from accessing equal opportunities and resources.

• Sham employment - A practice done by employers to register individuals as employees to meet legal job quotas without actual work or fair pay.

• UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities - An International Human Rights treaty designed to protect the rights, dignity and freedoms of disabled people.

• Unemployment - An individual who is without a paid job and is actively seeking work.

• Uphold - To support, defend or confirm something following a legal decision.