Egypt's latest road tragedy fuels outcry over child labour

Every year, countless fatalities occur on Egypt's roads, prompting concerns about safety and adherence to traffic regulations. However, a recent collision that claimed 18 lives, predominantly children, has captured the attention of millions and become the focal point of online discourse. The majority of those lost were farm laborers from disadvantaged backgrounds, whose deaths have sparked questions about societal exploitation.

The incident occurred on Tuesday near the Suez Canal city of Ismailia, east of Cairo, when two pick-up trucks transporting seasonal workers collided. Six siblings perished, with 30 others sustaining injuries. The victims were primarily adolescents from villages in the Al Sharqiyah province. The tragedy's severity, coupled with its recurring nature, has drawn the notice of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, who directed a thorough investigation into the cause and ensured the injured received optimal medical treatment.

Additionally, he mandated his government to expedite the provision of financial aid to the families of the deceased. Prosecutors' reports revealed that the accident transpired when a pick-up truck's right rear tire burst, leading to a collision with an opposing vehicle. The incident evokes another tragic event from June of the previous year, where at least 18 girls and women, aged 14 to 20, lost their lives in a road accident en route to a farm north of Cairo to harvest grapes for less than $3 a day.

This week's tragedy has dominated nightly talk shows on pro-government broadcast networks, with hosts emphasizing the President's response and commending the authorities' handling of the crisis. Social media platforms overflowed with video footage of grieving parents, traumatised survivors, and heartbroken relatives recounting the events.

However, critics on these platforms, the primary arena for free speech in Egypt, denounced the needless loss of life due to inadequate transportation for workers who often ride on the back of pick-up trucks without any protective measures. They also highlighted the illegal employment of children from impoverished families as laborers on private farms, a practice that contravenes established labor laws and reminiscent of feudal practices.

Many connected child labor to the nation's escalating poverty and the desperate need for wages, as evidenced by the workers earning less than $2 for an eight-hour shift on farms. Sociologist and author Ammar Ali Hassan expressed on Facebook, "There's a history of suffering for those left alone... exploited without intervention to ensure employers pay fair wages and provide safe transport.

Everyone is being squeezed, melted or crushed and offered in gold glasses for the few to remain prosperous and live well."