An LCHR Workshop about
“Risks of Child Labor in Egypt”
will be held on July 1, 2006 in
Caritas Misr Association
Child labor is a pressing issue in Egypt and the world. Many international agreements have been issued aiming to protect children's rights, and governments have also drafted legislation to support the same cause. Yet, working children in Egypt as well as all over the world are still growing in number and face severe dangers. Domestic and international studies indicate that poverty and the lack of education are the most important reasons for child labor, especially in the agrarian sector. Other reports show that the policies of market liberalization contribute greatly to the spread of this phenomenon and the violation of children's rights to care and protection.
In Egypt, child law no. 12 prohibits child labor and aims at protecting children's rights. In reality, however, children's rights are still being violated daily. The number of working children has reached more than three million, most of them working under very bad and dangerous conditions, especially in the agrarian sector. They receive extremely low wages, do not enjoy holidays, healthcare or social security. Although many NGOs struggle to protect children's rights in Egypt, their efforts have not lead to realizable solutions yet.
Reports indicate that Egyptian legislation has failed to guarantee the rights of working children to healthcare and social security and does not provide for representation of their interests. The labor law does not include the protection of children's rights. LCHR publications also demonstrate that working children are exposed to dangers from pesticides that cause many health hazards, chronic diseases and even death.
In this context, the LCHR is going to hold a workshop to discuss different aspects of child labor and the role of civil society in reducing its dangers. A number of families of working children and rural development associations working on this issue are expected to attend. The workshop will be an attempt to develop a working plan and program in order to improve the conditions of working children in the countryside as a first step to eliminating child labor in Egypt and guarantee their rights to care and safety.
The Workshop Agenda
9:00 – 9:30 am Registration and Introduction
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9:30 – 10:30 am Opening Speeches
“The dangers of child labor”
H.E. Ambassador Moshira Khattab
H.E. Minister Aisha Abd el-Hady
Mr Karam Saber
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10:30 am – 12:30 pm
First Session
Chairman Mr Abdelbasset Ben Hassan
"The conditions of working children in Egypt and the world
under the policies of economic liberalization"
Mr Mahmoud Murtada
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12:30 – 12:45 pm Coffee Break
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12:45 – 2:30 pm
Second Session
Chairman Mr Esam Ali
"The Egyptian law and international agreements concerning child labor"
Ms Mervat Abu Teij
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2:30 – 3:30 pm Lunch Break
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3:30 – 5:30 pm
Third Session
Chairman Mr Mahmoud Qandeel
Presentation of the experiences of organizations fighting child labor
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5:30 – 6:30 pm
Final Session
Chairman Mr Moufid Haleem
"Combating the phenomenon of child labor in the agrarian sector"
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Land Center for Human Rights Caritas Misr Association
122 el Gala’a st-Ramsis Tower-Cairo Al Mogama'a El Edary, 1 Mahmoud Sidqi St, Khlousy, Cairo
Tel/Fax: 02-5750470 Tel: 02-4310201
E-mail: lchr@thewayout.net - lchr@lchr-eg.org
Website: www.lchr-eg.org