After suffering severely from depression caused by constant work pressure, Ahmed Yasser (28) decided to leave his previous job at a real-estate marketing company in New Cairo. His work in this field was psychologically exhausting, as the system relied on bonuses instead of fixed salaries, which intensified the pressure on him. Despite searching continuously for a new job for six months, he has not found opportunities that suit his ambitions or his needs. With his savings about to run out, his greatest fear now is returning to work in a similar environment. He recounts his experience, saying:
\n“Working in this field required us to put in long hours that could reach 12 hours a day, under constant pressure to meet specific sales targets, and without any rest breaks. If I was unable to achieve the required percentage, I faced a large deduction from my meagre salary. I felt as if I were living in an environment that does not value human beings, where psychological and nervous pressure prevails, which made me feel every day that I was on the verge of collapse,” Yasser tells Zawia3.<\/p>\n
News of young people in Egypt taking their own lives because of work pressure has become alarmingly frequent recently, in the absence of any effective legislation or measures to protect the mental health of workers and employees. Although Labour Law No. 12 of 2003 focuses on physical health, it completely ignores mental health; despite containing 32 articles relating to occupational health and safety, the law pays no attention to mental health, which the Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights regards<\/a> as a major gap.<\/p>\n In the middle of last August, Minya Governorate was shaken by the death<\/a> of a young man, Mohamed Mamdouh (29), as a result of a sudden rupture in the brain caused by nervous strain accumulated through harsh work pressure. Mohamed worked as a receptionist at a hotel in Minya, and lived under such intense pressure that he suffered that crisis while returning from work. In a similar incident in June, investigations by the North Giza Public Prosecution revealed the suicide of an employee of the Ministry of Agriculture, who threw himself from the top of a building in the Dokki area because of suffocating financial hardship and heavy social pressures.<\/p>\n Last February, an employee<\/span> hanged himself<\/span><\/a> in the city of Hawamdeya in Giza Governorate, after his manager decided to deduct a week from his salary because of a mistake at work. This coincided with his going through a severe psychological crisis due to the pressures of work and living, according to statements by his wife, which ultimately led to his tragic suicide.<\/span><\/p>\n Although Labour Law No. 12 of 2003 contains 32 articles relating to occupational health and safety, as well as the work injuries regulations, none of them paid any attention to the question of mental health; rather, the focus was on physical health alone. Hence the growing need to provide protection for workers and to pay attention to the neglected standard, namely the safety of the worker’s psychological and mental health as one of the international labour standards, according to a recent study<\/a> issued by the Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights by labour researcher Hassan El-Barbary.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n Recommended reading: <\/b>Workers, fuel for businessmen’s profits: the state watches!<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Islam Heridy, a civil engineer working at one of the large private-sector construction companies, says he receives good pay for his work, but this has not eased the psychological and physical pressures he suffers every day. In a gruelling work environment that never stops, Islam feels constantly drained, which leaves him unable to find the time or energy for social or family life.<\/p>\n Islam speaks about his suffering in the work environment to Zawia3<\/em>, saying: “I feel constantly tense; anxiety stays with me throughout the day. We are responsible for everything, and despite the continuous achievements and the profits the company makes thanks to our efforts, the managers keep sending us signals of dissatisfaction, and this increases the pressure. With the absence of real opportunities and the growing drive of capital, we feel that we are mere tools from which everything is drained. Sometimes the psychological and physical strain is unbearable, but we are forced to carry on because of our family and social obligations, especially with the cost of living rising markedly.”<\/p>\n Samar Hassanein, an orthopaedic surgeon at one of the major teaching hospitals in Cairo, speaks about the pressures she faces every day in her work, saying: “I work in orthopaedic surgery and perform operations daily, which sometimes exceed seven operations, but the psychological and nervous pressure makes me feel constantly tired. Sometimes I think I have depression because of the constant strain. The situation is similar for my colleagues in other departments, as we face an extremely difficult work environment with insufficient salaries.”<\/p>\n Suicide rates<\/a> are rising globally, as the World Health Organization indicates, reaching 11 suicides per 100,000 people in 2021. These differences in rates reflect the impact of economic and social pressures in some countries. For example, in Japan and South Korea, where work cultures are marked by intense pressure and competitiveness, suicide rates are markedly higher. By contrast, in countries such as Sweden and Norway, which focus on achieving a balance between work and life and provide strong support networks, these rates are lower.<\/p>\n Egypt<\/a> is among the countries with high suicide rates, as statistics from the Public Prosecutor’s Office documented 2,584<\/a> suicides in 2021. According to data from the Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics, the group most prone to this act is young people in their second and third decades of life, as Egypt recorded 3,022 suicides in 2019. These figures indicate that work pressures, as well as the challenges of economic and social life, play a major role in that increase, which highlights the urgent need for measures to support mental health in the workplace.<\/b><\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n Recommended reading: <\/b>From burnout to emigration: why are psychiatrists leaving Egypt?<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n A<\/span> report<\/span><\/a> issued by the Al-Azhar Al-Sharif Observatory had revealed that the recent period has indeed seen repeated suicide incidents by multiple means and methods, showing that there are many reasons that may drive some members of society to suicide, and attributing them to family disturbances, online blackmail, the absence of religious restraint, difficult living conditions and pressures.<\/span><\/p>\n The causes that can lead to suicide are many, and work pressure is one of the important factors contributing to the aggravation of this crisis. Working in an environment of high demands and intense pressure may create a state of chronic psychological exhaustion, which negatively affects individuals’ mental health, according to the<\/span> World Health Organization<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n In many cases, workers and employees are subjected to enormous pressure to achieve unrealistic targets, which leads to feelings of anxiety and depression. In addition, the lack of appropriate support from the employer can aggravate feelings of isolation and helplessness. This constant pressure, alongside the absence of effective programmes for dealing with mental health problems in workplaces, contributes to increasing the likelihood of thinking of suicide as a means of escaping persistent pain.<\/span><\/p>\n Over the past decade, the rates<\/a> of mental disorders in Egypt have seen a marked increase, reflecting growing awareness and growing psychological problems in Egyptian society. According to a report by the Egyptian Ministry of Health, the proportion of people suffering from mental disorders in Egypt is estimated at about 25% of the population, led by mood disorders (specifically depressive disorders), which reached 43.7%, while substance use disorders reached 30.1%. This rise reflects changes in awareness and diagnosis, as the figures were much lower in previous years. For example, in an earlier study conducted in 2012, the proportion was estimated at about 12%, indicating a marked increase in recorded and documented cases.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n According to the<\/span> comprehensive national survey<\/span><\/a> of mental disorders, conducted in 2023 on more than 30,000 citizens from various governorates, one in every four citizens was found to suffer from mental health problems, meaning that nearly 28 million citizens, most of them workers, as the report indicated, have mental health problems that require treatment. By contrast, the<\/span> number<\/span><\/a> of mental health service hospitals affiliated with the General Secretariat of Mental Health and Addiction Treatment stands at about 15 hospitals, with a total bed capacity of 4,498 beds, which shows the severe shortage of psychiatric treatment institutions relative to the number of Egyptians with mental illnesses.<\/span><\/p>\n Psychiatry and addiction treatment consultant <\/span>Ahmed Mowafy<\/b> comments in his interview with Zawia3, explaining that work-related psychological pressures can lead to a wide range of mental disorders that significantly affect individuals’ lives. These disorders include anxiety and depression, which often result from a high-pressure work environment, such as tight deadlines, high work demands and an imbalance between professional and personal life.<\/span><\/p>\n He adds, speaking to us: “When individuals face constant pressure in the work environment, symptoms can accelerate, leading to the development of conditions such as generalised anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder. Research also indicates that these pressures affect brain functions such as mood regulation and thinking, which contributes to a feeling of emotional and mental exhaustion. These disorders can also lead to a decline in job performance and increased absence from work, which creates a vicious circle of pressure and negative effects on mental health.”<\/span><\/p>\n Mowafy points out that rates of mental illness among workers and employees in Egypt are rising markedly, reflecting the impact of occupational pressures on mental health. Studies also indicate that a large proportion of employees in the public and private sectors suffer from symptoms of anxiety and depression, and this is aggravated in high-pressure work environments. Research has revealed that many of these individuals do not receive sufficient support or appropriate psychological counselling, which increases the risk of their conditions developing into more serious problems. Improving mental health awareness and providing the necessary resources for support in workplaces can have a major impact in reducing suicide rates and improving individuals’ quality of life in general.”<\/span><\/p>\n He notes that confronting the effects of work-related psychological pressures requires adopting effective strategies to alleviate these pressures and promote mental health. Effective strategies include good time management, improving the work environment and providing social support. Setting work priorities and organising tasks can also help reduce feelings of confusion and exhaustion, and creating a positive and supportive work environment, including providing open channels of communication with management and colleagues, can help reduce stress levels. It is also essential to provide psychological support programmes, such as counselling and training workshops on stress management, which strengthens the ability to cope with daily pressures. Improving the balance between work and personal life, including setting aside time for rest and leisure activities, can help individuals regain their energy and reduce the negative effects of pressure.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Recommended reading:<\/b> Labour protests in Egypt: every window for peaceful negotiation closed<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Legislation and workers’ rights<\/b><\/p>\n Labour researcher at the Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights <\/span>Hassan El-Barbary<\/b> tells Zawia3 that psychological health and safety is one of the most important standards that must be taken into account when talking about the rights of the Egyptian worker, especially as he is exposed to a range of psychological pressures that can turn into serious mental disorders affecting his mental health and, consequently, the work environment, particularly given the neglect of psychological care for workers.<\/span><\/p>\n He stresses the importance of mental health because of its close link with physical health, pointing to a study published in the Journal of Educational Sciences (Faculty of Education, Al-Asmarya Islamic University, Libya) entitled “Features of Occupational Mental Health and the Strategy for Promoting It”, which stated that “people suffering from stress and psychological pressures are more prone to a range of diseases such as diabetes, blood pressure, arterial and heart disease, and are also more prone to blood clots.”<\/span><\/p>\n El-Barbary notes, in his interview with us, the importance of adhering to the law, the constitution and the international conventions Egypt has signed in this regard, but this application remains absent and is confined solely to treating physical work injuries, with a complete absence of any measures relating to the psychological protection of the worker in the work environment.<\/span><\/p>\n According to El-Barbary, Egyptian Labour Law<\/a> No. 12 of 2003 did not include a specific definition of the term occupational safety and health, but merely set out its general features in Book Five of the law, indicating the scope of their application in workplaces. The occupational safety and health provisions include obligations borne by the employer, including providing safety equipment and means of protection against hazards, in addition to the worker’s obligations.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Egyptian<\/span> Labour Law<\/span><\/a> No. 12 of 2003 is one of the basic laws regulating workers’ rights in Egypt, and includes a set of provisions aimed at protecting workers’ rights and guaranteeing a fair and safe work environment. The law provides a comprehensive framework for regulating the relationship between workers and employers, and addresses several vital aspects, including working hours, wages, working conditions, and rights relating to employment and dismissal.<\/span><\/p>\n Under the law, workers enjoy basic rights, including a maximum limit on daily and weekly working hours, as the law stipulates that working hours must not exceed eight hours a day or 48 hours a week, with breaks provided for rest and meals. In addition, the law addresses the question of wages, stresses the need to pay wages on their due dates, and sets the minimum wage in a way that guarantees a decent standard of living for workers. It also stipulates workers’ right to additional pay for overtime, as well as compensation for work at unusual times such as official holidays.<\/span><\/p>\n Furthermore, the law includes a<\/span> set<\/span><\/a> of rights relating to occupational safety and health, as it obliges employers to provide a healthy and safe work environment and to provide personal protective equipment for workers. The law also stipulates workers’ rights to paid annual leave, sick leave and maternity leave, reflecting a commitment by the state to caring for workers’ health and well-being. Among the other aspects the law addresses are workers’ rights to file grievances and to deal with disputes, as it provides legal procedures for claiming rights through dispute settlement committees or labour courts.<\/span><\/p>\n The provisions set out a framework for the social and health services provided to workers, and stipulated the establishment of a body to inspect establishments and the organisation of occupational safety and health bodies, while setting the penalties prescribed for establishments and workers in the event of a breach of these obligations. The Egyptian Court of Cassation affirmed this framework, as is evident from Appeal No. 2610 of Judicial Year 72, of 2004, in which it ruled on the need to provide occupational safety and health measures and to raise workers’ awareness in a way that ensures their protection from the hazards and harms of work, and it affirmed in another ruling, Appeal No. 410 of Judicial Year 73, of 2004, the importance of providing the same safety and awareness measures.<\/span><\/p>\n Regarding psychological safety and health, El-Barbary points out that the law gives the employer the right to verify the worker’s physical, psychological and mental health upon appointment, but it did not stipulate guaranteeing the preservation of workers’ mental health. This is what the World Health Organization report “Promoting Mental Health”, issued in 2004, pointed to, stressing the need for the government and work sectors to provide policies and programmes in the field of preventing mental health problems.<\/span><\/p>\n Although the Ministry of Labour announced in April 2023 the launch of the National Strategy for Occupational Safety and Health and Securing the Work Environment, the strategy<\/a> focused mainly on physical aspects without addressing the psychological and mental side, according to statements by the Cabinet Information Centre in Al-Masaei newspaper dated 28 April 2023.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n El-Barbary also points out that working women face a double physical and psychological burden, as they must balance the demands of work with family obligations, especially in societies such as Egyptian society. They are exposed to pressures from the work itself, with its effects on their physical and mental health, in addition to the pressures of domestic work and caring for children or relatives. According to a study conducted by the Center for Global Development (cited by El-Barbary), this double psychological burden exposes some women to an increased risk of deteriorating mental health without receiving appropriate treatment.<\/span><\/p>\n Total current spending on health in Egypt saw<\/a> a marked decline from about USD 17 billion in 2015 to about USD 15 billion in 2019. This decline led to a fall<\/a> in per capita health spending from about USD 183 in 2015 to USD 150 in 2019. This decline is mainly attributed to the deterioration<\/a> of wages due to high inflation and the application of exchange-rate liberalisation policies under the economic reform programme. Although the health sector’s allocations increased during the coronavirus pandemic, rising by EGP 14 billion to bring total public spending on health to about EGP 87 billion to confront the pandemic, and public health spending, according to Ministry of Finance data, increased to EGP 93.5 billion in the 2020-2021 budget and EGP 108.7 billion in the 2021-2022 budget, the increase did not reflect its real value because of the effect of inflation.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Despite the <\/span>nominal increase<\/span><\/a> in health spending from EGP 135.6 billion to EGP 147.8 billion between 2021\/2022 and 2023\/2024, a growth rate of 9%, this increase, according to the <\/span>Egyptian Center<\/span><\/a> for Social and Economic Rights, was not sufficient to offset the negative impact of inflation. As a result, real spending on health fell by 10.7%, from EGP 114.3 billion to EGP 102.1 billion over the same period. This decline reflects the inadequacy of spending increases in keeping pace with the erosion of purchasing power and the effect of inflation, and indicates that the share of health spending in total public expenditure and in gross domestic product is still below the ratios stipulated in the 2014 Egyptian Constitution, which obliges the state to allocate no less than 3% of gross national product to spending on health.<\/span><\/p>\n The reality of employees in Egypt indicates that the absence of psychological care in work environments has become a pressing issue that requires urgent attention from the authorities and society. The psychological pressures resulting from work in harsh environments, together with the absence of legislation guaranteeing the protection of workers’ mental health, contribute to increasing psychological crises and lead to rising rates of suicide and mental disorders among employees.<\/p>\n Editorial correction: The first version of the report stated that Al-Asmarya University, whose Faculty of Education journal published the study referred to, is located in Algeria; the correct position is that it is Al-Asmarya Islamic University in the city of Zliten in Libya.<\/em><\/p>\n Editorial correction: The first version of the report stated that Labour Law No. 12 of 2003 set out the occupational safety and health provisions in its Chapter Five; the correct position is that they appeared in Book Five, entitled “Occupational Safety and Health and Securing the Work Environment”, according to the text of the law.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In Egypt, 28 million citizens suffer from mental health problems, most of them workers, while the number of mental health hospitals does not exceed just 15, amid a complete absence of legislation protecting workers’ mental health.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":11555,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[390],"tags":[],"kateb":[6247],"class_list":["post-17722","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-human-rights","kateb-rasha-ammar"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/\u0627\u0644\u0635\u062d\u0629-\u0627\u0644\u0646\u0641\u0633\u064a\u0629.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17722","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17722"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17722\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24165,"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17722\/revisions\/24165"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11555"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17722"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17722"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17722"},{"taxonomy":"kateb","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/kateb?post=17722"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}A highly stressful work environment<\/h1>\n
Many causes<\/b><\/h1>\n