Executive Regulations of the Law on

On 23 December 2018, Prime Ministerial Decree No. 2733 of 2018 was published with the Executive Regulations (the “ER”)[1] of the Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities No. 10 of 2018 (the “Law”).[2] This successfully coincides with the final days of 2018, which was announced by the state as the year of persons with disabilities.[3] Both the Law and its ER mark a shift in the state’s approach to disability. In contrast to the annulled Law No. 39 of 1975 and its executive regulations, which dealt with disability in a rather short and crude manner, the new framework on disability is rather exhaustive and inclusive. To begin with, it is sensitive to the power of naming in society, for it follows the person-first language (rather than identity-first language) by replacing the usage of “disabled persons” (المعوقين) with a more internationally acceptable “persons with disabilities” (الأشخاص ذوي الإعاقة), thus putting the emphasis on the person as an individual rather than on their disability. In accordance with the Law, the ER also adopts an expansive definition of ‘persons with disabilities,’ highlighting both visible conditions that are traditionally considered disabilities – such as motor, visual, and auditory impairments – but even more importantly, invisible forms of disabilities that might have not been traditionally acknowledged but which nevertheless significantly affect a person’s long-term ability to function in daily activities – such as Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (“ADHD”), psychological and emotional disorders, and blood and heart diseases, in addition to some degrees of visual and auditory impairments. In this sense, the ER also lists the different forms and degrees of disabilities and outlines the multilevel process of determining disability, which includes a medical stage and a functional evaluation stage. Equally significant are the ER’s emphasis on the independence of persons with disabilities and on awareness raising and community involvement in de-marginalizing persons with disabilities. In addition, in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which Egypt ratified, the ER includes disability benefits and rights that extend beyond basic financial, employment, and medical benefits to include rehabilitation; training; education; residence; transportation; banking services; sports; access to cultural, touristic, and leisure activities; and more comprehensive healthcare and occupational qualification. Finally, the usage of assistive technologies and other forms of technologies required to facilitate the integration of persons with disabilities into society is echoed through the ER and so is the creation of unified and connected databases for persons with disabilities in Egypt through continuous and enhanced coordination among the different relevant authorities, for better data collection and management.   [1] Prime Ministerial Decree No. 2733/2018 enacting the Executive Regulations of the Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Official Gazette, Issue No. 51 (bis.), 23 December 2018. [2] Law No. 10/2018 on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Official Gazette, Issue No. 7 (bis) (c), 19 February 2018. [3] State Information Service, “Wali: Sisi keen to provide care for people with disabilities”, 28 January 2018, available through this link.