UNICEF Egypt
Country
Programme
2013-2017
Egypt in transition
2012 New President, and new
Constitution
Late 2013 Parliamentary elections
Ongoing Economic and budget reform,
negotiation with the IMF for a
US$ 4.8 billion loan
2011-2013 Sluggish economic performance
Growing unemployment
• Poverty grew during the last decade, despite
GDP growth. Trends are now compounded by
the current economic slowdown.
• In 2010-11, 25.2% of the population under the
national poverty line. Child poverty rate =
26.4% (8.2 million children living in monetary
poverty.
• Population: 83.7 million (2013), of which
children are 30.7 million (36.7%) and youth,15-
24: 16.2 million (19.4% )
5.7
6.3
7.0
8.2 21.0
22.1
23.8
26.4
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
1999/00 04/05 08/09 10/11
M
illio
n c
hild
ren
livi
ng
in p
ove
rty
Ch
ild p
ove
rty
rate
(%
)
Source: CAPMAS and UNICEF
Children in Egypt: progress …
• Fast reduction in child mortality,
and achievement of the MDG4
• Notable reductions in maternal
mortality
• Important progress in water and
sanitation coverage, with
reduction of the gaps between
urban and rural areas
• Primary education enrolment
close to universality, gender gap
in primary school participation
virtually closed
• Amended Child Law in 2008
81
63
54
44 41
33 28
25
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
U5MR IMR
Ch
ild d
eat
hs
pe
r th
ou
san
d li
ve b
irth
s
1995 2000 2005 2008
Source: EDHS
Child mortality
97 91
97 95 97 93
0
20
40
60
80
100
Primary School Lower Secondary School
Gro
ss e
nro
llme
nt
rati
o (
%)
Males Females Total
Basic education, school year 2012-13
Source: Ministry of Education
Children in Egypt: … unfinished agenda
• Large inequalities and growing disparities
• Growing malnutrition among young
children, and overweight and obesity
among adolescents
• Stagnating progress on perinatal mortality
• Low preschool participation, and quality of
education
• Violence against children / violent
discipline at home and at school, FGM/c,
children living on the street, child labour
• Growing child poverty. Inadequate
support to families
• Young people transition to adulthood,
youth unemployment and under-
employment
• Challenging quality of public basic
services (low public expenditure) and
slow implementation of the Child Law
46
28
18
32
0
10
20
30
40
50
Rural UpperEgypt
Rural LowerEgypt
Urban LowerEgypt
Urbangovernorates
Ch
ild d
eath
s p
er t
ho
usa
nd
live
bir
ths Regional disparities in U5MR,
2008 (source: EDHS)
35
20
29 31
18
8
16
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
1995 2000 2003 2005 2008 2011
% o
f ch
ildre
n u
nd
er-5
Stunting
Severe stunting
Source: WHO, EDHS and CAPMAS/WFP, data for 2011 are preliminary and refer to children 6-59 months
Contributed to reduction in child mortality and improved MCH services.
Average 38% reduction of neonatal mortality in 3 governorates; now being scaled up to cover 2.5 million people in 6 governorates
Improved policies and capacities for reducing malnutrition.
5-year plan on breastfeeding developed, implemented in 7 governorates
Child nutrition surveillance system set up in 17 sentinel sites
Contributed to expanding access to primary education, especially for girls and improving school quality standards; modeling of community based pre-school and primary education and inclusive education approaches for scaling up in new cycle.
UNICEF EGYPT Country Programme 2007-2013: Key results
Good practice models for scaling up (Peri-natal care
program, Community Schools and Kindergartens)
Legislative Reforms: Child Law Amendment 2008
Strengthened decentralized child protection mechanism.
Contributed to National FGM abandonment program.
Supported National Aid Programme to establish the first
home based care programme for People Living with HIV/
AIDS.
Growing evidence base on situation of children for policy
and program development
Support to children in emergency situations: Avian
influenza, Iraqi refugees, Libya crisis
UNICEF EGYPT Country Programme
2007-2013: Key results
Implications for the UNICEF Egypt CP
Increasing Poverty and Vulnerability during transition
Increased awareness of importance of investing in adolescents and youth
Rise in harassment against women and children without parental care more visible.
Increasing debate around the women, child and family agenda
Increased focus on social justice and social protection
New CPD - Key Priorities for Child Survival
Expansion of Integrated perinatal care program (MCH, nutrition, WASH)
Introduction of new vaccines (pentavalent vaccine)
Support Govt to integrate elimination of mother to child transmission of HIV into MCH services, building on current UNICEF support to MCH
Reversing the trend of growing malnutrition
Access to household water connections for most marginalised households in 6 governorates, as part of the integrated programme approach
New CPD - Key Priorities for Education
Improved access and quality of education through developing a community-based curriculum, defining quality standards, and developing M&E system
Scaling up of school based and community models of quality pre-primary education, based on the 300 kindergartens piloted during current programme
Improved access to quality community based primary education to out of school children
Improved quality of mainstream education – focus on inclusive education for child friendly schools
New CPD - Key priorities for Child Protection
Focus on prevention of violence against children and strengthening services for children at risk
Capacity building of specialized child protection services at national, sub-natl levels.
Development of community based alternatives for children in contact with the law.
Reduction of risks and vulnerability of most at risk adolescents to HIV/AIDS.
Support to National Council of Human Rights and civil society to protect and promote children’s rights
New CPD - Key priorities for Adolescents and
Young People
Civic engagement and participation programme to be scaled up through mechanisms such as student unions, youth clubs and social media.
Promotion of key life skills and employability skills in preparation for transition to adulthood, to be scaled up from 5 target areas (now) to national level by end of 2017
Data and research to guide polices and programmes.
New CPD - Key priorities for Social Policy
Improved statistics on key child indicators.
Research on child poverty and well-being, focusing on equity and disparities.
Support to child-sensitive social protection (measure impact of subsidy reform on children and poor families)
Generation of knowledge/research on children and environment