The draft law, approved by the Cabinet last July, amends some provisions of the Code on Civil Affairs No. 143/1994. As per the amendments, children are required to obtain national IDs within six months of reaching the age of 15.

In its explanatory notes, the Cabinet proposed lowering the age requirement for obtaining national IDs to grant children more rights.

Local media cited the undersecretary of the House's committee MP Ehab El-Tamawy as saying that the amendments come in line with the Egyptian Constitution and with family laws that granted citizens aged 15 the right to sue over matters related to guardianship.   

The amendments are also consistent with Child Law No. 12/1996, which prohibits the employment of children under the age of 15, El-Tamawy added.

In November last year, Egypt’s House of Representatives also gave its final approval for the amendments to the traffic regulations law no. 66 of 1973, which lower the age requirement to acquire a driver’s license for motorcycles from 18 to 16.