Despite some stability having returned to the country after the 2011 and 2013 revolutions, Egypt is still in a challenging transition phase, characterized by high inflation, a high unemployment rate, a high poverty rate and a decrease in social spending. Today, Egypt faces several socio-economic development challenges, which largely affect the country’s youth. Whereas the overall unemployment rate for the country has decreased since the revolution to 11%, youth unemployment remains very high at 31%. Not only do youth continue to experience all forms of exclusion including marginalization from political processes, but youth unemployment continues to rise due to the economic downturn. Women are particularly disadvantaged in the labour force and face issues, including discrimination, harassment, and cultural barriers to accessing the job market.
Youth are expected not only to participate in decisions affecting their lives but also to actively influence the way the new Egypt is planned to be built on principles of human rights, democracy, and citizenship. However, this is hampered due to a number of reasons including stereotypes accusing youth of being an inexperienced and reckless generation; intergenerational conflict among youth and adults; the low awareness and capacity of decision-makers to engage meaningfully with youth, the power dynamics within the local structures which favour the participation of a specific group of youth (those who have connections inside those structures) rather than giving equal opportunities for everyone to exercise his/her right to participate; and gender inequalities and norms which strongly position girls in an inferior status compared to boys.
The EU Social Entrepreneurship aims to address these challenges by:
- By adhering to a strict thematic focus on job creation, employability and income opportunities for young women and men both in social enterprise incubation and in the strengthening of governance processes;
- By specifically working with youth-led and women-led Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) thereby pushing for a more inclusive civil society;
- By building up capacity of CSOs especially with regards to sustainable models of operation (social enterprises) and effective interventions also strengthening the role of CSOs as important development and hence governance partners;
- By both building capacity for and facilitating collaboration between local authorities and youth-led and women-led CSOs.
Impact:
Directly, this intervention aims to improve the livelihoods of 24.000 – 40.000 people. Indirectly, the intervention will target 2-3 districts per governorate meaning that final beneficiaries will be 1.511.400– 2.226.100 youth and particularly women.
Outcomes:
- Increased capacity of 40-60 women-led/youth-led CSOs to contribute to improved livelihoods for youth, particularly women, through social enterprises.
- Measurable economic development for youth, particularly women in the most marginalised areas of Assiut, Sohag and Qena through social enterprises established by 15-30 women-led and youth-led CSOs and supported with start-up micro grants and technical guidance.
- Increased capacity of 40-60 women-led and youth-led CSOs to con[1]tribute to local governance processes addressing socio-economic needs for young people and women.
- Relevant local authorities, private sector and CSOs (including youth-led and women-led CSOs) collaborate meaningfully to address the need for improved livelihoods for youth and women at the district level of 6-9 districts.
The programme is implemented from September 2020 to June 2023.
