Acknowledgements The 2005 UN Common Country Assessment (CCA) document was produced by a drafting committee led by Mr. Christopher Louise (Advisor to the UN Resident Co-ordinator) and supported by Mr. Michele Ribotta (Head of Co-ordination Unit), Ms. Nanna Ahlmark (UN Coordination Officer), Ms. Daiana Marino (UNDESA Fellow) and Ms. May Seraphim (UN Coordination Assistant). The UN Country Team collectively undertook the CCA process and its involvement is described in the relevant section of the Report. The cover design is inspired by the shape and form of human DNA. As with the DNA structure, the analysis in the Common Country Assessment depends on the complex relationship between two axes critical to the function of Egyptian society: human capabilities and state capabilities. It is the interplay of these features with the essential elements of participation, social contract and rule of law which determines the quality and pace of development in the country (see pp. 91-92). 1 UN Common Country Assessment 2005 Embracing the Spirit of the Millennium Declaration United Nations Egypt 2005 2 Copyright © 2005 United Nations Egypt Office of the UN Resident Co-ordinator 1191 Corniche El Nil, World Trade Centre, Boulac, Cairo, Egypt All rights reserved Published by Moody Graphic Int. Cover design concept by Mr. Antonio Vigilante Design by Ms. Simona Galbiati and Mr. Davide Galbiati 3 United Nations Country Team in Egypt United Nations Resident Coordinator Office Mr. Antonio Vigilante, Resident Coordinator (UNRC) Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Mr. Abdel Latif Tabet, Country Representative International Civil Aviation Organization Mr. Mohamed Khonji, Regional Representative (ICAO) International Finance Corporation (IFC) Mr. Sami Haddad, Country Director International Labour Organization (ILO) Dr. Ibrahim Awad, Director International Monetary Fund (IMF) Mr. Cyrus Sassanpour, Senior Resident Representative International Organization for Migration (IOM) Ms. Iuliana Stefan, Chief of Mission International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Eng. Ebrahim Al Haddad, Regional Representative Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS Ms. Maha Aon, UNAIDS Country Officer (UNAIDS) United Nations Educational, Scientific and Mr. Mohamed Abdulrazzak, Director Cultural Organization (UNESCO) United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Mr. Faysal Abdel-Gadir Mohamed, Resident Representative United Nations Human Settlement Programme Mr. Ali El Faramawi, Programme Manager (UN-Habitat) United Nations High Commissioner for Mr. Saad Al-Attar, Regional Representative Refugees (UNHCR) United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) Mr. Dysane Dorani, Director United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Dr. Erma Manoncourt, Representative United Nations Development Programme Ms. Sophie De Caen, Deputy Resident (UNDP) Representative United Nations Industrial Development Mr. Massimo Garzelli, Representative and Head Organization (UNIDO) of Regional Office in Egypt United Nations Development Fund for Women Ms. Maya Morsy, Co-ordinator (UNIFEM) United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime Dr. Mohamed Abdul-Aziz, Regional (UNODC) Representative United Nations Truce Supervision Mr. Hans Nielsen, Chief Observer Organization (UNTSO) Universal Postal Union (UPU) Mr. Negib Boulares, Regional Advisor World Food Programme (WFP) Mr. Bishow Parajuli, Country Director World Health Organization (WHO) Mr. Zoheir Hallaj, Representative World Bank Mr. Emmanuel Mbi, Representative 4 Glossary of Terms AEA Adult Education Authority AHDR Arab Human Development Report AIDS Acquired Immuno- Deficiency Syndrome ARV Anti-Retroviral Treatment CAIP Cairo Air Improvement Project CAPMAS Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics CCA Common Country Assessment CCIMD Curriculum and Instructional Materials Development CEDAW Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women CEO Chief Executive Officer CERD Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination CIT Communication and Information Technology CNG Compressed Natural Gas CO2 Carbon Dioxide CRC Convention on the Rights of the Child CSWs Commercial Sex Workers DAG Donors Assistance Group DNA Deoxyribonucleic Acid EDHS Egypt Demographic and Health Survey EEAA Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency EEC Energy Efficiency Council EISI Egyptian Information Society Initiative EGP Egyptian Pounds EHDR Egypt Human Development Report ENNA Egyptian NGOs Network Against AIDS EOHR Egyptian Organization for Human Rights ERSAP Economic Reform and Structural Adjustment Programme FAO Food and Agricultural Organization Feddan One Feddan equals 0.42 acres FGC Female Genital Cutting FGM Female Genital Mutilation GDP Gross Domestic Product GNP Gross National Product GoE Government of Egypt Hai Urban District HDR Human Development Report HDI Human Development Index HIECS Household Income, Expenditure, and Consumption Survey HIV Human Immunodeficiency Virus HSRP Health Sector Reform Programme ICCPR International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights ICESCR International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights ICPD International Conference on Population and Development IDSC Information and Decision Support Centre of the Egyptian Cabinet IDU Injecting Drug Users IFC International Finance Corporation ILO International Labour Organization IMF International Monetary Fund IMR Infant Mortality Rate IMSWM National Strategy for Integrated Municipal Solid Waste Management INP Institute of National Planning IOM International Organization for Migration ISO International Standardization Organization IT Information Technology Markaz Rural District MB Muslim Brotherhood MCIT Ministry of Communications and Information Technology 5 MD Millennium Declaration MDGs Millennium Development Goals MENA Middle East – North Africa MISR Municipal Initiative for Strategic Recovery MRM Mortality Rates of Mothers MOHP Ministry of Health and Population MOLD Ministry of Local Development MISA Ministry of Insurance and Social Affairs MP Members of Parliament MSEA Ministry of State for Environmental Affairs MWRI Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation MSM Men who have Sex with Men NAP National AIDS Programme NCCM National Council for Childhood and Motherhood NCW National Council for Women NDP National Democratic Party NEAP National Environment Action Plan NGO Non- Governmental Organization NHDR National Human Development Report NSC National Social Council NWRP National Water Resources Plan OAU Organization of African Unity ODA Official Development Assistance OECD Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development PAT Professional Academy for Teachers PLHIV People Living With HIV/AIDS PM10 Particulate Matter PRAP Poverty Reduction Action Plan SMEs Small and Medium Enterprises SFD Social Fund for Development STIs Sexually Transmitted Infections SWM Solid Waste Management TOE Tons of Oil Equivalent UN United Nations UNAIDS United Nations Country Team UNCT Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS UNDAF United Nations Development Assistance Framework UNDP United Nations Development Programme UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNFPA United Nations Population Fund UNHCR United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees UNIC United Nations Information Centre UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund UNIDO United Nations Industrial Development Organization UNIFEM United Nations Development Fund for Women UNODC United Nations Organization for Drugs and Crime USAID United States Agency for International Development USD United States Dollars VCT Voluntary Counseling and Testing VOCs Volatile Organic Compounds WB World Bank WFP World Food Programme WHO World Health Organization 6 Contents Preface 8 Chapter I: Embracing the Spirit of the Millennium Declaration 9 Introduction 9 Millennium development goals and human rights 10 Egypt in the peace, security, development nexus 13 UN system in Egypt 14 Duty bearers and claim holders 15 The CCA process 15 Chapter II: Quality of Growth and Poverty Eradication 17 The need to translate economic growth into social gains 17 Overview of recent economic growth 18 Characteristics of poverty in Egypt 20 Food security and self sufficiency 21 Employment and sustainable livelihoods 23 Education as an engine for human development 26 Quality of health and poverty considerations 30 Duty-Bearer-Claim-Holder Responses and Capacities 33 Chapter III: Human Rights, Democracy and Good Governance 41 Setting a reform agenda 41 Legal and institutional frameworks for democracy and political pluralism 43 Society and the political Establishment 45 The role of women in Egyptian society 48 Violence against women 51 Good governance and local administration 52 The administration of justice 56 Duty-Bearer-Claim-Holder Responses and Capacities 58 Chapter IV: Our Common Environment 65 The problem of water scarcity 67 Pollution and human health 67 Land use and human settlements 71 Biodiversity and protected areas management 74 Disaster protection and crisis management 75 The cost of environmental degradation 75 Duty-Bearer-Claim-Holder Responses and Capacities 75 Chapter V: Social Protection of Vulnerable Groups in Egypt 82 Children at risk 83 People living with and vulnerable to HIV/AIDS 85 Refugees and asylum seekers 87 Caring for the elderly 89 People living with disabilities 89 A Framework for UN System Support to Egypt and Priority Areas for the 91 UNDAF 2007-2011 Common Country Assessment Indicators 95 CCA Bibliography 99 7 Preface The Common Country Assessment (CCA) is an important planning tool for the United