Since 2006, Hadeer El-Mahdawy has worked for various independent Egyptian media, she is currently a full time reporter for the independent bilingual news website Mada Masr. She focuses on domestically sensitive topics, such as political detentions, labor, women's rights, refugees, religious minorities or the seizure of private property and land. Hadeer El-Mahdawy's dedication to human rights puts her and fellow journalists under threat of being arrested or persecuted by the security apparatus. In 2008, EL-Mahdawy and her independent colleagues were denied journalists' union press accreditations, for their work challenging the authorities. She eventually received it, but only after protesting and going on hunger strike together with her colleagues.