CONSEQUENCES OF THE FINANCIAL CRISIS

WITH RESPECT TO CHILDREN

In Egypt

Huda Ragaa Mohamed Alkitkat

Introduction

(CRC) in 1989

MDGs

First and second child decades which were declared for the

Egyptian child rights protection (1989-1999) and (2000-2010)

all of those are there to help Egyptian children to have their

rights

IntroductionCon.

many efforts to guarantee a good life and

child well-being in Egypt. There are many

successful achievements for example the

Infant Mortality rate has been declined from

62 per thousand live births (EDHS 1992) to 25

per thousand live births (EDHS 2008). Under

five mortality rate also has been declined

from 85 per thousand live births (EDHS 1992)

to 25 per thousand live births (EDHS 2008)

Introduction

Problem

The global financial crisis is presenting

significant economic and social

development challenges for all countries

around the world.

Egypt as a apart of the world and one of the developing countries has suffered from the financial crisis impacts.

Consequences at Macro Level

Consequences at Micro level

Children

Health

Education

Child

Labour

Household

Consequences of the Crisis

Follow up report on the Economic &

Social Development Plan (Ministry of

Economic Development, 2009)

Household and children

Egypt

IDSC HH Survey

Observatory of the Egyptian household

Household survey is conducted periodically

(every three months)

a survey of a nationally represented

sample of about 10,000 households (except

Border governorates). It hence appropriate to

generalize the specific results generated

here to the country at large.

Observatory of the Egyptian household

IDSC has embraced the idea of establishing

an observatory to study the effect of the

existing and emerging conditions on the

lifestyle of citizens ( various economic and

social sides).

Con.

Observatory of the Egyptian household

The first round of the survey was conducted in May 2008, at which the financial crisis has been started, further rounds were conducted.

The first and last rounds (May 2008 and May 2009), included the same HH and the data can in theory be compared across time as a panel .

The basic and same questionnaires were applied to the same HH in the two rounds

Con.

Consequences

the Egyptian balance of payments registered a deficit

reaching $ 1.8 billion due to the inability of the service

balance to cover trade deficit (because of the decrease of

Suez Canal revenues, tourism receipts and outward

investment)

decline in net international reserves from about $ 34.1

billion by the end of December 2008 to about $ 32.2 billion in

March 2009 and to nearly $ 31.2 billion in April 2009

Main results

Some 265 thousand new job opportunities were provided

during the period (March 2008 – March 2009).

However, the unemployment rate rose from 9% to 9.4%

due to the economic growth sluggishness and relative decline

of private investments, particularly foreign direct

investments which fell from $ 3.5 billion in the third quarter

of last year to $ 2.9 billion in the current quarter of 2008/09,

with a decrease of 17%.

Main results

the first group which we convinced they will affected by

the crisis are the poor families.

we start our analysis by comparing the percent of the

poorest family in Egypt in May 2008 to the same percentage

in 2009

Main results

Main results

the rural affected the most .

% of pop in the first quintile increased from 31.3 to

35%.

% of pop in the second quintile increased from 31% to

33%

Main results

period Urban Rural Total

less than 6 months 22.72 21.31 22.09

6-12 months 38.98 37.98 38.53

13-24 months 27.62 28.69 28.10

25-36 months 10.69 12.02 11.29

 

100.00 100.00 100.00

Proportion of persons (15-64) years who stop working during the last 36

months preceding the survey (May 2009) by place of residencesMain results

63% of them did not find jobs.

Main results

School enrollment (children 6-17 years) by sex and place of residence

May 2008 – May 2009

  2008 2009

  M F T M F T

Urban 94.88 94.74 94.81 95.24 95.06 95.15

Rural 92.42 88.07 90.30 93.26 89.95 91.64

Total 93.31 90.63 91.99 93.98 91.89 92.94

Main results

the enrolment rates by standard of living of their households shows that in the urban region the rate has been decreased slightly for males in the poorest families (from 94% in May 2008 to 91% in May 2009 .

for females (poorest families) the enrolment has been decreased from about 87.5% to 80%

Main results

Child labor increased from about 1 to 1.3% (5-14 years)

about 50% are for the poorest family.

The distribution of child labor (5-14) by type of work is different between urban and rural:

•In 2008 ….most of children in urban (almost 42% of child labor) …working permanently

•25% (seasonal work)

•In 2009 ….most of children in urban (almost 46% of child labor) …working Intermittently

•29% (permanent work)

Main results

•In 2008 ….most of children (5-14) in rural (almost 52% of child labor) …working Intermittently

•16% (permanent work)

•In 2009 ….most of children in rural (almost 36% of child labor) …working Intermittently

•27% (temporary work)

Main results

school attendance and Participation in the labor force for children (6-17)

71% of children who join labor force did not attend school regularly in the year 2008/2009.

 School attendance 288/2009

Join labour force 

yes No

yes 29% 96.19

No 71 3.81

  100 100

Main results

Proportion of children suffering from chronic diseases by place of residence May 2008 and May 2009

percentage of children who are suffering from chronic diseases

has been increased slightly among children in urban and also in rural

  2008 2009

Urban 2.57 3.55

Rural 1.76 3.19

Total 2.06 3.32

Main results

•The first three chronic diseases are almost the same in urban and rural which are: Chest diseases (respiratory allergy / asthma / fibrosis in the lung), Heart disease and blood vessels (pressure / rheumatic fever), and Diseases of the brain and nerves (blood clot in the brain / Epilepsy)

•the percentage of children who are suffering from Chest diseases from all children suffering from chronic diseases in rural (70%) and urban (69%) consider being the most spread chronic diseases then Heart disease and blood vessels (28% and 35% in urban and rural respectively) .

On going…..

• On going analysis ….

•Food backset pattern … is there any change??

•Child health

Discussion

•All governments have successful steps toward the MDGs since 2000…..

•Impact of crisis on the MDGs could be measured on the short run :

education equity for example

elimination of the gender gap

other impacts may be clear on the long run specifically the health indicators, for example the financial crisis may be a cause to an increase of the parentage of poor family in which they will not be able to feed their children which will result in bad healthy new generation.

Discussion

•Now and after being on track of the MDGs goals the question is : would it be possible to continue and

meet the 2015 commitments?

• what does each country need to be on track again and achieve the goals.

• how will be the gap of achievement between the developing and developed countries?

•To what extent the goals which are related directly to children will be achieved in comparison to the

others goals?

Thanks

For attention