"Death of Linen Factory Worker’s Infant Exposes Egypt’s Harsh Labor System" 19 September 2025

Just days after the Egyptian government began enforcing the new Labor Law No. 14 of 2025, promoted as a step toward protecting workers’ rights, the country witnessed a tragic incident: a baby girl, not yet four months old, lost her life after her mother, Doaa Mohamed—a worker at “Nile Linen Group” for textiles and home furnishings in Alexandria—was prevented from leaving the workplace to take her sick child to the hospital... The company’s management refused to grant her leave, or even a short permission slip, and she was held inside the factory for three continuous hours, trying to secure authorization to exit through the company gate...
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He explained that the 2,000 pounds ($40) deducted by management in case of absence for medical reasons—whether with or without permission—was originally paid as a “cost of living allowance.” The company, however, reclassified it under the heading of “discipline incentives,” using it as a tool of pressure and bargaining to prevent workers from taking leave, even sick leave...After four days of striking, the company announced it would meet the workers’ demands, leading them to end the strike and return to work....
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This is not the first time Nile Linen has been accused of violating workers’ rights; the company has a record of abuses, including threats of dismissal and actual arbitrary terminations. Yet the state treats each case as if closing a file without memory or follow-up, she said, encouraging companies to repeat violations without fear of punishment...
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