Laila Ibrahim Hassan, 66, spent years of her life serving her country as an engineer at the Atomic Energy Authority in Inshas.
Upon retirement, her reward was being thrust into a struggle shared by millions of Egyptian pensioners: balancing skyrocketing living costs against a fixed pension that is no longer enough to provide a dignified life.
Laila’s plight has gripped the Egyptian public after her story went viral on social media.
After being evicted from her home because her rent had climbed to more than double her monthly income, she was left with no choice but the streets.
The image of a woman who honorably served the state, now forced to sleep on the pavement while awaiting government intervention, struck a painful chord across the nation.
Following the public outcry, Minister of Solidarity Maya Morsy intervened, securing a place for Laila in a specialized care facility.
Her rescue, however, highlights a much larger, quieter crisis.
Millions of other retirees suffer in silence behind closed doors, trapped by the widening chasm between their meager pensions and the rising costs of essential needs, particularly healthcare and medication.
This situation demands urgent government action to support low-income pensioners.
Beyond the necessary move of increasing monthly payments to ease the burden of inflation, there is a pressing need for dedicated support systems. Establishing specialized service offices and a direct emergency hotline would ensure that the grievances of those who built this country are heard and addressed with the urgency they deserve.
A call for legislative reform
One of the defining characteristics of a developed nation is how it treats its most vulnerable populations: the elderly, people with disabilities, and women.
These groups represent the most fragile links in the social fabric, requiring dedicated protection from the state and its executive bodies.
While Egypt’s current system has made strides in supporting people with disabilities through integration laws, and has strengthened protections for women against harassment, domestic violence, and inheritance disputes, a critical gap remains.
There is an urgent need for a comprehensive legislative package and executive decrees specifically designed to protect pensioners.
This should begin with a substantial increase in the minimum pension and the reduction of government fees for retirees across all state agencies.
Furthermore, the government should implement mandatory discounts on public services and incentivize the private sector—particularly in healthcare and pharmaceuticals—to offer similar concessions.
Legislation regarding rental laws also requires a nuanced review to protect low-income retirees from eviction.
To ensure fairness, a means-testing system could be implemented; wealthy pensioners could be identified through mandatory financial disclosures, with strict legal penalties for those who provide fraudulent information.
While we are all aware of the immense economic challenges and the strain that debt servicing places on the national budget, these hurdles must not serve as a justification for neglecting those who sincerely built this nation with their sweat, blood and tears.
Upholding the rights of pensioners is not an act of state charity; it is a fundamental duty.
The government must take the lead with a suite of measures to mitigate the rising cost of living and restore hope to those who served their country.
Every citizen deserves the confidence that when they reach retirement, they will not be left to navigate the hardships of life alone.
The struggle to survive on a pension Egypt Independent.
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