National Council for Human Rights (NCHR). Photo by NCHR Facebook page.
On Friday, a tragic road accident took place near Ashmoun in Menoufia Governorate when a truck reportedly struck a microbus transporting young female workers.
The young women, aged between 14 and 23, were returning from their work in agricultural lands near Sadat City.
Many of them were key providers for their families, and some left their schools to contribute to household income.
In a press release on Saturday, the NCHR said the accident was not only a result of unsafe transportation, but also a consequence of the absence of policies ensuring decent and safe work conditions for women and girls, particularly in rural and marginalized areas.
The council additionally implored government bodies, employers, and civil society to collaborate in guaranteeing several key areas. This includes ensuring safe and humane working conditions that safeguard both physical and psychological well-being, along with providing secure and suitable transport for workers, particularly women, who frequently encounter daily hazards while seeking their livelihood.
Furthermore, the council called for stronger oversight of employers who exploit women's economic vulnerability by neglecting safety standards. They also emphasized promoting educational environments designed to alleviate the economic pressures that force girls into labor and expanding social protection and insurance systems to cover all female workers, regardless of their job type or location.
Ultimately, the council stressed the paramount importance of placing the right to life and human dignity above profit motives and systemic negligence.
The council also called for an urgent and transparent investigation, accountability for those responsible, compensation for the victims’ families, and developing a national plan to prevent similar incidents and protect the right to a safe and dignified livelihood.
“Work should never come at the cost of life,” the statement affirmed.
On Saturday, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi ordered an increase in compensation for the road accident's victims, with an additional EGP 100,000 to be paid to each of the killed's families and EGP 25,000 to each of the injured, besides the amounts already allocated by the Ministries of Labour and Social Solidarity.
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