Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2025, published 114th ILC session (2026)

Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182) - Egypt (Ratification: 2002)

Articles 3(a), 6, and 7(1) of the Convention. Worst forms of child labour, programmes of action and penalties. Sale and trafficking of children. Following its previous comments, the Committee notes the Government’s information, in its report, that the National Coordinating Committee for Combating and Preventing Illegal Migration and Human Trafficking (NCC-IMHT) has developed and launched its Third National Strategy to Combat and Prevent Human Trafficking (NS-CPHT 2022–26), which is based on the four pillars of prevention, prosecution, protection and partnership. The measures envisaged include building and activating the legislative framework in support of anti-human trafficking activities, taking measures for investigation, prosecution and trial procedures, and strengthening regional and international cooperation. In this regard, the Committee notes, from the Government’s report under the Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29), that it is taking measures to ensure the effective application of the provisions of the Anti-Human Trafficking Law No. 64 of 2010, including building the capacity of law enforcement officials and training judges and prosecutors.

The Committee takes note of the Government’s information on the number of investigations conducted and convictions imposed in 2023: 281 individuals were investigated in 111 cases of trafficking in persons, and sentences ranging from life imprisonment to years of rigorous imprisonment, as well as fines, were handed down in 15 cases. It observes, however, that the Government does not provide information specific to the trafficking of children. In addition, the Committee notes that, in its concluding observations of 2023, the United Nations Human Rights Committee (UNHRC) expressed concern that, notwithstanding the measures taken by the State party, various forms of trafficking remain prevalent, including child trafficking (CCPR/C/EGY/CO/5). Similarly, in its concluding observations of 2025, the UN Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (CMW), while noting with appreciation the efforts made by Egypt, expressed concern about the continued rates of trafficking, including of migrant children, for the purposes of labour and sexual exploitation, and about the reports of ineffective coordination and insufficient capacity of relevant authorities (CMW/C/EGY/CO/2-4). The Committee therefore urges the Government to continue taking the necessary measures to strengthen the capacity of the law enforcement bodies and ensure the thorough investigation and prosecution of perpetrators of child trafficking for labour or sexual exploitation. It requests the Government to provide specific information on the number and nature of investigations, prosecutions, convictions and penalties imposed in cases of child trafficking. In addition, the Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the measures taken in the framework of the NS-CPHT 2022–26 to combat the trafficking of children, as well as on any assessment of the impact of these measures and challenges identified.

Article 3(b). Use, procuring or offering of a child for prostitution. The Committee notes the Government’s reiteration that it has taken several measures to ensure that child victims of prostitution under the age of 18 are treated as victims rather than offenders. The Government refers in this regard to the legislation that criminalizes commercial sexual or labour exploitation of children (including section 291 of the Penal Code criminalizing the violation of the right of a child to protection against commercial sexual exploitation) and to measures for the protection of child victims of trafficking and exploitation taken during the investigation, trial and post-trial phases. The Committee recalls, however, that section 94 of the 2008 Child Law still provides that the age of criminal responsibility starts at 7 years, and that section 111 of the Child Law still provides that children over 15 years of age are liable to confinement in jail for not less than three months or to the measures stated in section 101 (e.g. reprimands; being institutionalized or placed in a specialized hospital or institution; following a course of training and rehabilitation; judicial testing; performing work for the public interest which is not hazardous).

Recalling that all child victims of prostitution, including those who are over 15 years of age, should be treated as victims of commercial sexual exploitation and not be held criminally responsible, regardless of consent, the Committee once again notes with regret that the Government provides no information on measures taken to resolve the legislative gap created by section 111 of the Child Law. The Committee notes in this regard, from the Government’s report under the Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138), that a new child law – which will be named Child Rights Law – is currently being reviewed. The Committee once again urges the Government to take the necessary measures to ensure that all child victims of prostitution or any type of sexual exploitation who are under the age of 18 years are treated as victims rather than offenders. To this end, the Committee once again urges the Government to amend section 111 of the Child Law – in the framework of the current revision process – to ensure that children under 18 years of age who are victims of prostitution are not criminalized and/or imprisoned, regardless of their consent.

Article 7(2). Effective and time-bound measures. Clauses (b) and (d). Providing the necessary and direct assistance for the removal of children from the worst forms of child labour and for their rehabilitation and social integration and identifying and reaching out to children at special risk. Child victims of trafficking, in street situations or other situations of vulnerability. Following its previous comments, the Committee notes the Government’s information that it is taking measures to extend the umbrella of social protection and welfare to include migrant, refugee and deprived children. Such measures include health services, paying house rents, and distributing financial and food cash support to beneficiary families, as well as providing training and employment and psychological support. In addition, the Committee notes that, in the framework of the NS-CPHT 2022–26, the measures envisaged and taken include raising public awareness and improving legal assistance and services for victims of human trafficking. For instance, the Committee notes that the NCC-IMHT has intensified its awareness-raising activities, meetings and seminars on trafficking in persons and that such initiatives include the “Leave no child behind in the fight against human trafficking” campaign of 2024.

In addition, the Government indicates that the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood (NCCM) established a unit to combat human trafficking and developed an integrated programme to disseminate indicators for the identification of victims of trafficking, as well as to train the relevant stakeholders on such indicators. In this regard, the Committee notes, from the Government’s report under Convention No. 29, that the National Referral Mechanism for Victims of Human Trafficking (NRM) was updated in 2022, and that the NCCM updated its Child Helpline, which receives complaints and intervenes to provide protection and assistance to victims of violence or neglect, or those at risk of violence or neglect, in accordance with the provisions of the Anti-Human Trafficking Law No. 65 of 2010 and the NRM. The Government further indicates that training was also given to build the capacity of civil society with regard to the rehabilitation and social integration of victims. The Committee notes in this regard, from the national report submitted by Egypt to the Human Rights Council of 2024 (A/HRC/WG.6/48/EGY/1), that a comprehensive protection system for victims of human trafficking has been established, consisting of the NRM, to ensure expeditious legal assistance; health (physical and psychological) and rehabilitation programmes for victims; a complaints system to receive reports; and support for victims through the hotlines of the NCCM. According to this report, in 2023, 151 victims received services including shelter, including 70 boys and 76 girls under the age of 18.

The Committee takes due note of the measures taken by the Government. It notes, however, that while welcoming the establishment of the NRM, the UNHRC expressed concern that the mechanism is not yet fully operational and remains underutilized and that the CMW, while noting with appreciation the efforts made to adopt a number of awareness-raising initiatives on trafficking in persons, remained concerned about reports of inaccessibility of shelters. The Committee therefore urges the Government to strengthen its efforts to ensure that children under 18 years of age, including migrant and refugee children as well as children living and working on the streets, are protected from the worst forms of child labour, particularly trafficking, commercial sexual exploitation and begging. The Committee requests the Government to provide concrete information on the impact of the measures taken, including the number of children who have been removed from the worst forms of child labour and provided with assistance for their rehabilitation and social integration.

The Committee is raising other matters in a request addressed directly to the Government.