Title: For the “Best Interests of the Child”: “Madad” Initiates Legal Action Against Denial of Residency Renewal for an Egyptian Child’s Father

Lawyers from the "Madad" initiative have filed a lawsuit before the Administrative Judiciary Court in Cairo, challenging the negative decision by the Passports and Immigration Authority to refuse residency renewal for a Syrian national residing in Egypt to care for his Egyptian child. Madad’s legal argument is rooted in the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Egyptian Constitution, and the Child Law, which mandate that all state authorities prioritize the "best interests of the child" in all decisions.

This case follows the forced deportation of the father last March, without allowing him to bid farewell to his child, despite his clean record over 14 years of residency. Madad asserts that administrative discretion is not absolute and is subject to judicial review. Humanitarian considerations for foreigners with Egyptian children must take precedence. Madad is pursuing this legal battle on behalf of the Egyptian mother and her son, hoping for a ruling that establishes the legitimate rights of migrants and upholds the constitutional principle that "the family is the foundation of society, and the state is committed to maintaining its cohesion and stability."