A young girl carries a bag of recyclable items: A new report reveals that large numbers of Egyptian children are living in abject poverty, despite recent gains. IRIN/Victoria Hazou
Millions of Egyptian children continue to live in poverty, despite recent gains made for young people, particularly on the legislative front, a study commissioned by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has found.
Speaking this week at the study’s launch in Cairo, Sigrid Kaag, UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, said that nearly half of young people under the age of 18 live on less than $2 a day.
“It is important to look at how poverty is affecting their lives and how we can address it, because a child who lives in poverty rarely gets a second chance at an education or a healthy start in life,” stated Ms. Kaag, who just wrapped up a three-day visit to Egypt.
The study, “Child Poverty and Disparities in Egypt: Building the social infrastructure for Egypt’s future,” found that more than 7 million children are deprived of one or more of their rights, which include the right to nutrition, water and sanitation facilities, access to basic health-care services, shelter, education, participation and protection.
In addition, around 5 million children are deprived of appropriate housing conditions, while some 1.5 million children under the age of five suffer from health and food deprivations.
The study also found that while poverty does not differentiate by sex, girls, especially in rural areas, are the least likely to attend school or complete their education.
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