Middle East and North Africa
Egypt.
Law No. 149 of 2019 on the practice of civil work governs associations and civil institutions and includes a definition of voluntary work, a tax deduction for donations and a government unit role in volunteering policy. The Ministry of Social Solidarity has announced a national volunteering strategy and is the national focal point for the International Volunteer Year 2026. A general statutory duty to help a stranger in danger could not be verified.
Is there a legal duty to help a stranger?
No general duty foundNo Penal Code provision imposing a general duty to help a stranger in danger was found or verified in the sources reviewed; one Arabic-language academic abstract located in a search recommended legislative changes on this topic, but it could not be read. This does not establish that no such provision exists.
Are people who help protected?
None foundNo law giving specific protection to people who help strangers in good faith was found in the sources reviewed.
How the government promotes giving and service
Ways to give and volunteer
Egypt's charity sector is tightly regulated by the Ministry of Social Solidarity, and many groups are religious or state-linked; this list only names official or widely established bodies. Check the rules before giving or volunteering, especially as a foreigner.
Check a charity before you give
The ministry that registers and supervises associations and foundations; ask it or the group to confirm registration, as I did not find a simple public search page.
Give your time
Give money, blood or a donation
In an emergency or a crisis
Before you act
- Egyptian law requires associations to register and get approval before collecting or accepting donations, including foreign money, so do not collect funds on your own or give through unregistered groups.
- Foreign residents and visitors should volunteer only through registered organizations and ask them about permit requirements first.
- Beware of social media appeals and unknown people asking for cash or transfers.
This list covers only official or well-established bodies and does not cover local groups, mosque or church charities, or crowdfunding. Checked 2026-10-28. Listing an organization is not an endorsement, and none of them has endorsed this site. Some official sites block automatic checks, so a link may need a second try.
One thing worth knowing
The 2019 civil work law itself defines voluntary work and gives a government unit a role in volunteer policy and opportunities.
What this does not mean
The law text relied on is an unofficial English translation by a law firm; the Arabic Official Gazette text was not read. The law also contains registration and funding rules for organizations, which this guide does not evaluate. Zakat institutions and the Egyptian Food Bank (described by a nonprofit directory as a nonprofit co-founded in 2006) were not documented through government sources and are not included. This is a plain-language summary of public sources, not legal advice, and it does not rank countries. No government named here has endorsed this site. Not reviewed by a lawyer. Statutes were read in public sources and may have changed. Last checked October 26, 2026.