The Administrative Court of the State Council in Egypt has postponed the consideration of a lawsuit filed by Dr. Hani Samah, a lawyer, on behalf of a woman who was adversely affected. The lawsuit seeks to cancel a decision by the Ministry of Labor that bans women from working abroad in several jobs, including working in cafes and restaurants, household administration, and other jobs. The court has scheduled the next hearing for October 17 to review and submit memoranda.
The lawsuit, numbered 45727 of 80 urgent lawsuits, names the Prime Minister, the Minister of Labor, the Minister of Interior, the head of the National Human Rights Council, and the head of the National Council for Women as defendants. The lawsuit targets a decision issued by the Ministry of Labor on April 1, 2026, that prohibits Egyptian women from working abroad in several jobs, including working as waitresses, beverage servers, counter staff, accountants, and cafe managers, as well as domestic care, household management, cooking, personal assistance, and home nursing.
The plaintiff argues that the decision is not limited to setting regulatory controls or objective conditions to protect Egyptian workers abroad but rather imposes a general ban on women in a group of legitimate professions. This ban denies them job opportunities available to men in the same jobs and prevents them from completing procedures to travel and work in those fields. The decision is considered to be in violation of the principles of equality, equal opportunities, and prohibition of discrimination based on gender, guaranteed by the Egyptian Constitution.
The lawsuit also states that Egypt's international obligations, particularly the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), which emphasizes the principle of equality between men and women in the field of work, are being violated. The convention requires countries to take appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in job opportunities and freedom of choice of profession.
The plaintiff emphasizes that protecting Egyptian women from exploitation in foreign labor markets is not achieved by preventing them from traveling and working but rather through effective oversight of labor recruitment companies, examination of employment contracts, verification of job opportunities, and ensuring wages and professional and human rights. The plaintiff also stresses that a collective ban based on gender does not distinguish between serious and fictitious employment contracts or between safe and unsafe working environments.
The lawsuit concludes that Egyptian women have full legal capacity and constitutional rights and that their protection should not be used as a pretext for excluding them from the labor market. The lawsuit demands an urgent halt to the implementation of the contested decision, followed by a judgment to cancel it and its consequences, in order to preserve the principles of equality, equal opportunities, and freedom of work.
The case highlights concerns about women's rights and employment opportunities in Egypt and abroad. The court's decision to postpone the lawsuit has sparked debate about the role of women in the workforce and the need for protective measures to ensure their safety and rights.
Key points
- The Egyptian court postponed a lawsuit aimed at canceling a ban on women working abroad in cafes and other jobs to October 17.
- The lawsuit argues that the ban on women working abroad in certain jobs is a violation of the principles of equality and equal opportunities.
- The case highlights concerns about women's rights and employment opportunities in Egypt and abroad.
