Egyptian MP Mokhtar Hemmam, deputy head of the Housing Committee in the House of Representatives, has submitted a proposal to allocate dedicated service counters for seniors and people with disabilities in all government offices. The initiative aims to facilitate easier access to public services for these groups, reducing wait times and congestion. Hemmam emphasized that providing more humane and equitable government services is a key objective in modernizing the state's administrative apparatus.
According to the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics, approximately 11 million Egyptian citizens, or 10.7% of the population, live with disabilities. This highlights the need for more inclusive policies to ensure their integration and access to government services without obstacles. The MP also cited UN data indicating that people with disabilities comprise around 16% of the global population, prompting many countries to adopt policies guaranteeing them access to public services.
The proposal also addresses the needs of Egypt's elderly population, which numbers around 7 million citizens, according to the same statistical agency. This figure is expected to rise in the coming decades due to demographic changes and increasing life expectancy. Hemmam stressed that despite efforts towards digital transformation, a significant proportion of citizens still need to physically visit government offices, making it essential to implement organizational measures to prevent elderly and disabled citizens from facing lengthy waits.
The proposed dedicated service counters would be established in all government offices that receive public visitors, including post offices, land registries, civil registries, traffic departments, and social insurance offices. Clear signage would be installed to facilitate access to these counters, which would prioritize the completion of procedures and services for seniors and people with disabilities.
Hemmam suggested that staff operating these counters receive training on interacting with seniors and people with disabilities using approaches that ensure prompt service delivery and respect for their needs. He also recommended providing suitable waiting areas and accessible spaces within government offices, particularly for individuals with mobility impairments.
The MP proposed linking this service to the digital transformation system, enabling the determination of service priority electronically or scheduling prior appointments for the most vulnerable groups. This would help minimize congestion within government agencies. Hemmam argued that allocating dedicated service counters for seniors and people with disabilities would not impose an additional burden on the state but rather represent a simple organizational measure with significant social impact.
The proposal seeks to ensure that seniors and people with disabilities can access public services easily, alleviating the burden of waiting and congestion. By enhancing the experience of citizens within government offices, the initiative aims to increase the efficiency of the administrative apparatus, reduce congestion, and achieve citizen satisfaction with the level of services provided, aligning with the state's goal of building a more responsive and effective administrative system.
Key points
- The Egyptian government considers a proposal to allocate dedicated service counters for seniors and people with disabilities in government offices to facilitate easier access to public services.
