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