A life course perspective on social protection among the working poor of Egypt

This paper employs a generational comparison to examine how increasing labor market informality has affected how poor households in Egypt gain access to and rely on social protection schemes. The results indicate that among the generation of Egyptians approaching retirement, the expansion of public employment and a policy allowing easy access to survivors’ benefits among female dependents served as important means of increasing social insurance coverage. However, many young households do not have even one member enrolled in the public pension system. Labor market instability and informality have also lowered the perceived value of social protection among this generation. The paper discusses five common points of vulnerability across the groups studied, all of which may create significant barriers to social protection access among poor households, and must be addressed if coverage rates are to be extended, or even maintained, in the future

Panel Survey of Young People in Egypt (SYPE) 2014: Generating evidence for policy, programs, and research

The Panel Survey of Young People in Egypt (SYPE), first conducted in 2009 among Egyptian youth aged 10–29, focuses on education, employment, health, family formation, migration, reproductive health, social issues, and civic/political participation. This second round, SYPE 2014, was conducted in the wake of two youth-led revolutions (2011 and 2013). SYPE 2014 attempts to understand changes that occurred among Egyptian youth over the period between the two rounds through targeting the same group of respondents of the 2009 survey in 2014 to accurately document changes and progress in the status of these young people. Preliminary findings indicated: a slight decrease in unemployment, a reduction in rates of early marriage, and a narrowing of the gender gap in educational attainment. Young people’s desire to migrate has not changed, while participation in social and political activities is on the rise. Moreover, prevalence rates of female genital mutilation/cutting and sexual harassment appear to be declining

\u27Her future is marriage\u27: Young people\u27s attitudes towards gender roles and the gender gap in Egypt

This report examines youth gender-role attitudes in Egypt using quantitative data, from the nationally representative Survey of Young People in Egypt 2009 and 2014, which provides a broad overview of youth gender-role attitudes throughout the country and among different subpopulations of youth. Qualitative data complements this analysis by offering a more in-depth view of how young people think about men and women’s roles in society and why they hold these beliefs. The findings also highlight the extent to which conservative attitudes of gender relations may influence practices even in the face of legal change. Gender-role attitudes are a deeply held component of individuals’ beliefs, and sustained, interactive engagement with young people is likely needed in order to influence them. In order to work toward more egalitarian gender attitudes among Egyptian young people, programs and policies must build from the understanding that these attitudes are not only about women, but rather are a part of the social norms that affect women\u27s and men’s outcomes alike

Panel Survey of Young People in Egypt (SYPE) 2014: Generating Evidence for Policies and Programs—Summary Report

This document contains the Summary Report to the Panel Survey of Young People in Egypt (SYPE) 2014: Generating Evidence for Policy, Programs, and Research. SYPE, which was first conducted in 2009 among Egyptian youth aged 10–29, focuses on education, employment, health, family formation, migration, reproductive health, social issues, and civic/political participation. The second round, SYPE 2014, was conducted in the wake of two youth-led revolutions (2011 and 2013). SYPE 2014 attempts to understand changes that occurred among Egyptian youth over the period between the two rounds through targeting the same group of respondents of the 2009 survey in 2014 to accurately document changes and progress in the status of these young people. Preliminary findings indicated: a slight decrease in unemployment, a reduction in rates of early marriage, and a narrowing of the gender gap in educational attainment. Young people’s desire to migrate has not changed, while participation in social and political activities is on the rise. Moreover, prevalence rates of female genital mutilation/cutting and sexual harassment appear to be declining

Female disadvantage in the Egyptian labor market: A youth perspective [Arabic]

In this brief, three aspects of female youth’s disadvantage in the labor market are analyzed: low labor force participation, high unemployment, and concentration in the public sector. These issues are closely interrelated and can be addressed through a set of policies that promote family-friendly employment conditions and the formalization of the private sector. The establishment of job search services for female youth is also critical to addressing the gender gap in unemployment

Youth perspectives on entrepreneurship in Egypt: Barriers to entrepreneurship as a means to combat youth unemployment [Arabic]

This brief examines a range of factors that Egyptian youth perceive to be barriers to starting their own business, including high risk, limited access to finance, complexity of micro-credit schemes, lack of business and marketing training, and the need for connections in order to succeed. According to results from the Survey of Young People in Egypt, these factors combine to create the view among many youth that entrepreneurship is not a viable means of labor-market entry. Rather, youth see entrepreneurship as either a supplemental income-generating activity while also having a “regular” job, or as a later-life employment option once they have established themselves financially or professionally. To promote entrepreneurship as a means of combating youth unemployment, financial and entrepreneurship education, and integrated loans, business information, and marketing services should be promoted

Female disadvantage in the Egyptian labor market: A youth perspective

In this brief, three aspects of female youth’s disadvantage in the labor market are analyzed: low labor force participation, high unemployment, and concentration in the public sector. These issues are closely interrelated and can be addressed through a set of policies that promote family-friendly employment conditions and the formalization of the private sector. The establishment of job search services for female youth is also critical to addressing the gender gap in unemployment

Youth perspectives on entrepreneurship in Egypt: Barriers to entrepreneurship as a means to combat youth unemployment

This brief examines a range of factors that Egyptian youth perceive to be barriers to starting their own business, including high risk, limited access to finance, complexity of micro-credit schemes, lack of business and marketing training, and the need for connections in order to succeed. According to results from the Survey of Young People in Egypt, these factors combine to create the view among many youth that entrepreneurship is not a viable means of labor-market entry. Rather, youth see entrepreneurship as either a supplemental income-generating activity while also having a “regular” job, or as a later-life employment option once they have established themselves financially or professionally. To promote entrepreneurship as a means of combating youth unemployment, financial and entrepreneurship education, and integrated loans, business information, and marketing services should be promoted

Panel Survey of Young People in Egypt (SYPE) 2014: Generating evidence for policy, programs, and research [Arabic]

The Panel Survey of Young People in Egypt (SYPE), first conducted in 2009 among Egyptian youth aged 10–29, focuses on education, employment, health, family formation, migration, reproductive health, social issues, and civic/political participation. This second round, SYPE 2014, was conducted in the wake of two youth-led revolutions (2011 and 2013). SYPE 2014 attempts to understand changes that occurred among Egyptian youth over the period between the two rounds through targeting the same group of respondents of the 2009 survey in 2014 to accurately document changes and progress in the status of these young people. Preliminary findings indicated: a slight decrease in unemployment, a reduction in rates of early marriage, and a narrowing of the gender gap in educational attainment. Young people’s desire to migrate has not changed, while participation in social and political activities is on the rise. Moreover, prevalence rates of female genital mutilation/cutting and sexual harassment appear to be declining. [In Arabic

Social protection in Egypt: A policy overview

The need to address the shortcomings of Egypt’s current social protection system as part of a broader process of developing a new social contract between the Egyptian government and its citizens has been noted for a number of years. With a new government recently put in place, Egypt is now at a potential turning point in terms of implementing unfinished reforms to the system or proposing alternative ones. The aim of this paper is therefore to provide an overview and assessment of current public social protection mechanisms and suggest directions for new policy measures. The social and health insurance systems are covered, as well as the social assistance program that provides non-contributory pensions. Recommended policy measures to improve the current social protection system fall into three inter-related categories: strengthening the link between contribution and benefit levels, expanding coverage, and improving the administration of the system