Vulnerable Egyptian Labor Market Challenges after the Egyptian Revolution

Abstract

This study aims to initiate and inform the debate on key challenges and policy options for poverty reduction and food security in the Egyptian labor market after the 2011 Egyptian revolution. It attempts to determine the Egyptian labor market's characteristics by focusing on poverty, the low level of consumption, and weak health standards. The article investigates how these market characteristics help individuals and households escape poverty. What are the social implications of these characteristics for individuals' and households' well-being? The analysis is based on the Egyptian Food Observatory (EFO) survey during 2011 and 2012, and it covers 10 Egyptian governorates. The results are of value for policymakers, as they indicate that the labor force participation rate has been increasing. This finding should be analyzed in light of the increasing education dropout rates and the number of vulnerable households using ration cards. Other interesting findings show a very low unemployment rate among vulnerable households. The high dropout rate predicts more poverty in the future, and the article presents relevant policy implications.