The proposed amendments to Law No. 10 of 2018 on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, recently approved by the Egyptian Cabinet, represent a retreat from constitutional and legal commitments that guarantee the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities and ensure their full participation in society.

The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) warns against the negative implications of redefining persons with disabilities in purely medical terms, in contravention of international human rights conventions, including the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), which emphasises human dignity rather than impairment. The proposed changes threaten the principle of equality and risk reinstating barriers—physical, social, environmental, and cultural—that prevent persons with disabilities from full integration in society.

It is particularly concerning that the Cabinet did not consult the National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD), the government body legally mandated to provide input on such matters. The NCPD issued a swift statement criticising the amendments and emphasised that any proposed changes to Law No. 10/2018 must undergo certain constitutional and legislative steps before being enacted. The Council further stressed that its mandate under Law No. 11 of 2019 requires it to be consulted on draft laws and policies relating to disability rights.

The NCPD also criticised the use of the term “ʿāha” (an outdated word for disability that can be translated as “defect”) in some discussions, noting the widespread discontent it caused among persons with disabilities and their families. It confirmed that this term “is not recognised in national legislation, which consistently uses ‘quṣūr’ (impairment) in Law No. 10/2018—a rights-based and legally appropriate term that must not be replaced, and that the council will ensure shall  not be replaced in future amendments”.

On 13 August, the Cabinet approved amendments to four provisions of the law, including a new definition of persons with disabilities, eligibility rules for customs and VAT exemptions on adapted vehicles, and harsher penalties for forging or misusing integrated service cards. Prime Minister Dr. Mostafa Madbouly justified the changes as necessary to prevent fraud and ensure that adapted vehicles are afforded to rightful beneficiaries.

According to the Cabinet statement, the proposed amendment to Article 2(1) defines a person with a disability as:

“Any individual who suffers from a long-term impairment—physical, intellectual, mental, or sensory—that, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others.”

EIPR considers that this revised definition would reduce the number of beneficiaries eligible for state-provided services and entitlements in employment, education, health, and subsidised transport. The substitution of the phrase “any individual who suffers from a long-term impairment” for the previous “any person with a total or partial impairment or deficiency” carries a negative psychological connotation and reinforces stereotypical perceptions of disability.

While establishing clear criteria for customs and VAT exemptions on adapted vehicles is important, the proposed amendment fails to balance facilitation for persons with disabilities and their families—the core purpose of the provision—with safeguards on allocations affecting state finances. By extending the eligibility cycle for one vehicle from five years to fifteen years, the amendment would make it extremely difficult for persons with disabilities to replace unserviceable vehicles under the exemption scheme. A more equitable approach would link eligibility to actual depreciation or loss of functionality.

The proposed amendments also introduce new conditions that exclude entire categories, such as beneficiaries of social security, from access to these exemptions.

EIPR further reiterates its criticism of Egypt’s legislative policy in recent years, which has relied excessively on expanding custodial penalties and increasing the length of penalties as the primary response to violations, without taking into account their actual effectiveness. The proposed changes to Article 49 impose prison terms of up to ten years and fines of up to EGP 100,000 for forging integrated service cards or disability certification—while penalising those who submit information that proves to be false in the same way as professional forgers.

Similarly, the amendments to Article 51 introduce a minimum prison sentence of six months and fines up to EGP 200,000 for offences including fraudulently accessing disability-related services or benefits, impersonating a person with a disability, or unlawfully obtaining disability documents or cards.

EIPR calls on the Cabinet to withdraw the proposed amendments and to initiate genuine dialogue with persons with disabilities, their families, and the NCPD. The amendments would strip many citizens of their constitutional and legal entitlements while failing to resolve existing problems long raised by the disability community, such as the difficulties of registering for integrated service cards and the limited number issued, which already denies many rightful beneficiaries access to services.

EIPR stresses that empowering persons with disabilities requires more than rhetoric; it demands concrete measures to secure rights, build capacity, and guarantee full inclusion in all areas of life. The timing of the amendments is also alarming: first, because the current session of the House of Representatives is about to conclude within weeks; and second, because the government is preparing for its first-ever review before the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, to assess compliance with the CRPD, which Egypt ratified in 2008 and incorporated into domestic law under the Constitution.