Cairo: House of Representatives (the lower house of the Parliament) approved- in principle- the government-drafted Social Solidarity bill, on Sunday. The new law aims at unifying the different financial support programs, regulating the government grants and empowering the most needy people to ensure a decent life for all.

According to State Information Service Egypt, the bill also specified the categories eligible for conditional cash support (Takaful), health and education conditionality, and procedures taken in the event that a family does not comply with the conditionality. The draft law also specified those who should have the unconditioned cash support in the program (Karama). It set the rules for the cases eligible for the two different financial aid programs of Takaful and Karama, in addition to other regulations.

Further, it expands the social security scope, guarantees the rights of priority groups like the senior citizens and orphans, and provides them with the maximum possible protection. The dra
ft law adopts a conditional support approach with the aim of investing in people and improving development indicators, by obligating beneficiary families to follow health programmes for mothers, pregnant women, and children, in addition to stressing the importance of children’s education and their regular attendance at schools or universities.

The bill defines cash support as cash assistance received by an individual or family that is classified below the national poverty line, in accordance with the provisions of this law. The Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics estimated in 2022 that the value of the extreme poverty line per person per year is EGP 6,604 in 2020, or EGP 550 per person per month.