For over ten years, Egypt has faced relentless economic strife, leading to a series of financial bailouts from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in 2016, 2020, 2022, and 2024. The reforms attached to these bailouts have been stark, demanding deep austerity measures: slashing food and energy subsidies, hiking service fees, and trimming budgets for health, education, and social welfare. Despite assertions from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) that austerity should protect economic and social rights, Egypt’s government has failed to mitigate the adverse effects of these reforms.
Egypt has struggled with economic challenges for decades, enacting austerity measures tied to IMF interventions that have deepened social rights issues. Alongside civil society groups, the Tahrir Institute’s alternative report for the UPR emphasizes the adverse impacts of these policies on health, education, and adequate living standards. As Egypt prepares for its fourth UPR cycle in January 2025, there’s a collective push for accountability and adherence to international human rights obligations.
The Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy, along with various human rights organizations, submitted an alternative report for Egypt’s fourth UPR cycle, connecting economic policies directly to public rights such as health, education, and social security. As the country approaches its January 2025 UPR, these groups are calling upon international bodies to ensure Egypt honors its commitments to protect these rights amidst enduring austerity measures. The future holds hope for accountability and positive reform if the concerns raised are acted upon.
Guided by the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), a UN initiative aimed at scrutinizing human rights practices, civil organizations in Egypt are pressing for accountability on economic and social rights. This initiative presents an opportunity for groups to spotlight pressing human rights concerns and demand adherence to international laws. Egypt’s engagement in the UPR since its inception in 2010 has exposed a pattern of issues related to economic stability and human rights compliance, culminating in a crucial fourth review cycle set for January 2025.
Original Source: timep.org
