Labor organizations and political groups in Egypt are calling for a full investigation into a road accident that killed 18 young female farmworkers and injured three others on Friday.
The victims, aged 14 to 21, were traveling to a grape farm on Friday, June 27, when their microbus collided with a heavy truck on the regional ring road near Ashmoun in Menoufiya governorate.
Unions are pointing fingers at employer negligence, unsafe working conditions, regulatory failings, and a severe lack of social protections, healthcare, and secure transport for women in the agricultural sector.
The Center for Trade Union and Workers Services (CTUWS) mourned the victims in a statement posted on Facebook. “This tragedy cannot be separated from the harsh reality ignored by government policy,” the group said.
It added that such incidents continue to occur due to the absence of real solutions to bridge the gap between official rhetoric and the realities of underage labor.
The CTUWS statement also challenged recent comments from Manpower Minister Mohamed Saafan, who claimed the government is committed to ensuring safe and decent workplaces.
“Workplaces here neither meet minimum safety standards nor respect the legal working age,” the group said. “Children, especially girls, are pushed into harsh labor without supervision, protection, or secure transport.”
The under-formation Solidarity of Trade Unions Federation echoed calls for accountability, calling the accident a fresh wake-up call. “This is a warning bell that tolls for society’s conscience,” it said, urging a serious and transparent investigation and prosecution of those responsible for endangering the workers.
Meanwhile, the Egyptian Social Democratic Party described the crash as a “humanitarian disaster” and cited continued neglect of road safety. It called for halting traffic on the regional road until repairs are completed, and proper signage is installed.
The Civil Democratic Movement also weighed in, stating the incident reflects a broader crisis of social justice, where working women are deprived of basic dignity and protection.
Abdel Moneim El Gamal, president of the Egyptian General Federation of Trade Unions, told Al Manassa that the crash underscored a shared responsibility among employers, ministries, and even families to “ensure safe transport before sending their children to work.”
He advocated for formal recognition of agricultural labor and the creation of a database for informal workers to empower unions in advocating for their rights.
In response to the tragedy, the Ministry of Manpower announced compensation of 200,000 Egyptian pounds (about $4,024) for each deceased worker's family and 20,000 pounds (about $402) for each injured person.
President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi subsequently increased these amounts by an additional 100,000 and 25,000 pounds ($2,012 and $503), respectively.
El-Sisi also directed officials to stringently monitor road repairs, particularly along the regional ring road, and to expedite their completion. He emphasized the critical need for clear signage at construction sites, well-marked detours, prompt removal of road hazards, and stricter enforcement of speed limits.
A board member of the Roads and Bridges Authority informed Al Manassa that 3 billion pounds (approximately $60.35 million) had been allocated for the 157-kilometer ring road, with 1 billion pounds (approximately $20.12 million) already spent this year.
The official stated that the specific section where the crash occurred is slated for overhaul by the end of the next fiscal year, while acknowledging that excessive speeding, driver distraction, and overloaded vehicles remain persistent risks on the roads.
This latest incident is not isolated. Deadly crashes involving female farmworkers have occurred before in Egypt. In May 2024, 17 individuals were killed and eight injured when a minibus returning from Meonufia fell off a Nile ferry in Abu Ghaleb. Before that, in January 2022, eight young workers died in a similar ferry accident in Giza.
