Survey of Young People in Informal Urban Areas of Greater Cairo, SYPE-IGC 2016
Egypt, 2016
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Reference ID
EGY_SYPE_IGC_2016_V5
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Feb 27, 2018
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Identification
Survey ID
EGY_SYPE_IGC_2016_V5
Title
Survey of Young People in Informal Urban Areas of Greater Cairo, SYPE-IGC 2016
Country
| Name | Country code |
|---|---|
| Egypt | Egy |
Study type
Young People in Egypt Survey
Series information
In the light of the lack of data on the social, economic and demographic characteristics of the residents of informal areas, the Population Council, in partnership with the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS), conducted a comprehensive situation analysis of young people living in such areas in Cairo, the 2016 Survey of Young People in Informal Urban Areas of Greater Cairo (SYPE-IGC), because of the value of such information geographically, economically, socially, politically, and for tourism policy. This survey followed two previous nationally representative longitudinal surveys: the Survey of Young People in Egypt (SYPE) in 2009 and in 2014. This series of surveys represent a rich database at the level of individuals, families and communities, a valuable and unique dataset which covers the age group of 15-29 years old, a large segment of the population. The three SYPE surveys cover a broad range of topics, including education, employment, health, migration, marriage and family formation, gender roles, life aspirations, and political and civic engagement. A number of new sections were added to the SYPE-IGC in 2016 in order to gather data specific to those areas. These new modules looked at the economic and social characteristics of informal areas, the conditions and quality of the services provided to residents, the strategies deployed by young people to adapt to life in informal areas and to overcome the challenges they face, and social bonds between the residents of these areas. In addition, a special module was included to measure knowledge and awareness among residents of efforts to improve the quality of services provided.
Abstract
<p style="border:solid thin black;">The SYPE-IGC was designed to be comparable with the Population Council's two previous nationally representative longitudinal surveys: the 2009 and 2014 Survey of Young People in Egypt (SYPE) </p>
Young people living in informal urban areas in Egypt are often perceived as growing up in a context of multiple inequalities of opportunity. Popular and public policy discourse in Egypt purports that informal areas - popularly known as ashwaiyyat - are problematic; they are widely seen as areas of insecurity, poverty and at times extremism (Bayat and Denis 2000; Ismail 2006). It is widely thought that young people living in these areas are disproportionately exposed to multiple hazards and vulnerabilities, not only more than young people in formal urban areas but also more than youth in rural areas. Although the great diversity between and within Egypt's informal settlements has been highlighted in previous research and governmental reports, it is believed that most informal urban residents still suffer from an "urban penalty," due to the slums' overcrowded living conditions, lack of security and poor quality of core public services (Jorgensen and Rice 2012).
Egypt Vision 2030 refers to the vital need to develop the informal urban areas of Egypt through the creation of 7.5 million housing units and finding solutions to problems pertaining to those settlements by 2030. This country vision is in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agenda, which highlighted the plight of slum dwellers in its 'urban goal', SDG 11: “Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable,” and its Target 11.1: “By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums.”
Efforts to develop Egypt's informal urban settlements and enhance the living conditions of their dwellers have been ongoing for over a decade, sponsored by the government, civic organizations, private entities, non- profit institutions, individuals and in some cases media officials. Despite this increasing interest in informal urban areas - as well as in young people living in those communities - among researchers, stakeholders, and government officials, there are very limited data that can provide reliable statistics on those areas, and particularly on the characteristics of young people living in those informal communities.
Due to this dearth of data, the Population Council, in partnership with the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS), conducted a comprehensive situation analysis of young people living in informal urban areas of Greater Cairo: the 2016 Survey of Young People in Informal Urban Areas of Greater Cairo (SYPE-IGC). SYPE-IGC 2016 interviewed a representative sample of 2,947 young people aged 15-29 from the three governorates of Greater Cairo: Cairo, Giza and Qalyubia.
The initial 2009 survey round captured a nationally representative sample of 15,029 young people aged 10 to 29 from 11,372 households (see Population Council 2010). The 2014 round managed to successfully track 10,916 (72.6%) of the same young people who were interviewed for the 2009 SYPE, and re-interview them. Hence, the 2009 and 2014 surveys yield a panel dataset that is nationally representative for both time periods and which is considered the most comprehensive source of data on young people in Egypt and the region today.
All three SYPE surveys cover a broad set of areas crucial to the transition to adulthood, including education, employment, health, migration, marriage and family formation, gender roles, life aspirations, political and civic engagement and exposure to different forms of violence, including gender-based violence. The SYPE also contains a great deal of information on the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of members of young people's households, their housing conditions, ownership of durable goods, access to basic services and infrastructure, and information on any household member who has migrated abroad, including remittances. In order to understand the informalization phenomenon in urban Egypt and the challenges facing youth in the informal areas of Greater Cairo, which has the largest population of informal dwellers in the country, several new modules were added to the SYPE-IGC young people's questionnaire. These modules provide information on opportunities and risks faced by young people in informal areas and how they respond to these opportunities and risks. Additional questions on interpersonal relationships, community-level security and violence, neighborhood improvement initiatives, and household coping strategies were also added. Hence, the SYPE-IGC survey provides rich government-level estimates of the key SYPE indicators pertaining to youth life in the informal urban areas of Greater Cairo.
Young people living in informal urban areas in Egypt are often perceived as growing up in a context of multiple inequalities of opportunity. Popular and public policy discourse in Egypt purports that informal areas - popularly known as ashwaiyyat - are problematic; they are widely seen as areas of insecurity, poverty and at times extremism (Bayat and Denis 2000; Ismail 2006). It is widely thought that young people living in these areas are disproportionately exposed to multiple hazards and vulnerabilities, not only more than young people in formal urban areas but also more than youth in rural areas. Although the great diversity between and within Egypt's informal settlements has been highlighted in previous research and governmental reports, it is believed that most informal urban residents still suffer from an "urban penalty," due to the slums' overcrowded living conditions, lack of security and poor quality of core public services (Jorgensen and Rice 2012).
Egypt Vision 2030 refers to the vital need to develop the informal urban areas of Egypt through the creation of 7.5 million housing units and finding solutions to problems pertaining to those settlements by 2030. This country vision is in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agenda, which highlighted the plight of slum dwellers in its 'urban goal', SDG 11: “Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable,” and its Target 11.1: “By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums.”
Efforts to develop Egypt's informal urban settlements and enhance the living conditions of their dwellers have been ongoing for over a decade, sponsored by the government, civic organizations, private entities, non- profit institutions, individuals and in some cases media officials. Despite this increasing interest in informal urban areas - as well as in young people living in those communities - among researchers, stakeholders, and government officials, there are very limited data that can provide reliable statistics on those areas, and particularly on the characteristics of young people living in those informal communities.
Due to this dearth of data, the Population Council, in partnership with the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS), conducted a comprehensive situation analysis of young people living in informal urban areas of Greater Cairo: the 2016 Survey of Young People in Informal Urban Areas of Greater Cairo (SYPE-IGC). SYPE-IGC 2016 interviewed a representative sample of 2,947 young people aged 15-29 from the three governorates of Greater Cairo: Cairo, Giza and Qalyubia.
The initial 2009 survey round captured a nationally representative sample of 15,029 young people aged 10 to 29 from 11,372 households (see Population Council 2010). The 2014 round managed to successfully track 10,916 (72.6%) of the same young people who were interviewed for the 2009 SYPE, and re-interview them. Hence, the 2009 and 2014 surveys yield a panel dataset that is nationally representative for both time periods and which is considered the most comprehensive source of data on young people in Egypt and the region today.
All three SYPE surveys cover a broad set of areas crucial to the transition to adulthood, including education, employment, health, migration, marriage and family formation, gender roles, life aspirations, political and civic engagement and exposure to different forms of violence, including gender-based violence. The SYPE also contains a great deal of information on the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of members of young people's households, their housing conditions, ownership of durable goods, access to basic services and infrastructure, and information on any household member who has migrated abroad, including remittances. In order to understand the informalization phenomenon in urban Egypt and the challenges facing youth in the informal areas of Greater Cairo, which has the largest population of informal dwellers in the country, several new modules were added to the SYPE-IGC young people's questionnaire. These modules provide information on opportunities and risks faced by young people in informal areas and how they respond to these opportunities and risks. Additional questions on interpersonal relationships, community-level security and violence, neighborhood improvement initiatives, and household coping strategies were also added. Hence, the SYPE-IGC survey provides rich government-level estimates of the key SYPE indicators pertaining to youth life in the informal urban areas of Greater Cairo.
Kind of data
Sample survey data [ssd]
Unit of analysis
1- Households.
2- Youth aged (15-29) years.
2- Youth aged (15-29) years.
Version
Version
Version 5: A version of SYPE-IGC 2016 data prepared by the Population Council and the ERF for dissemination
Version date
2018-02
Scope
Notes
The topics covered by the survey include the following:
1- Health
2- Education
3- Employment and labor market
4- Migration
5- Marriage and family formation
6- Participation in political events
7- Civic engagement and political attitudes
8- Attitudes toward gender roles
9- Conditions and quality of the services provided to residents
1- Health
2- Education
3- Employment and labor market
4- Migration
5- Marriage and family formation
6- Participation in political events
7- Civic engagement and political attitudes
8- Attitudes toward gender roles
9- Conditions and quality of the services provided to residents
Topics
| Topic |
|---|
| Health |
| Education |
| Employment and labor market |
| Migration |
| Marriage and family formation |
| Participation in political events |
| Civic engagement and political attitudes |
| Attitudes toward gender roles |
| Conditions and quality of the services provided to residents |
Coverage
Geographic coverage
Covering a sample from three governorates of Greater Cairo: Cairo, Giza and Qalyubia.
Universe
The survey covered a representative sample of households and selected youth aged 15-29
Producers and sponsors
Primary investigators
| Name |
|---|
| Population Council |
Producers
| Name |
|---|
| Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics |
Funding Agency/Sponsor
| Name |
|---|
| USAID-UNFPA-UN Women |
| UNICEF-UN Volunteers |
| UNAIDS-UNESCO |
| WHO-UNDP |
Sampling
Sampling procedure
<p style="border:solid thin black;"> The SYPE-IGC was designed to be comparable with the Population Council's two previous nationally representative longitudinal surveys: the 2009 and 2014 Survey of Young People in Egypt (SYPE) </p>
-----> Survey design and implementation
Although there is broad agreement among researchers and government bodies on the historical patterns leading to the informalization of Cairo and the main characteristics of informal areas, there is no consensus regarding the exact definition of informal areas. Based on the history of how informal areas emerged, Sims (2003) classifies the main types of informal areas in Cairo as: 1) informal settlements on private, formerly agricultural lands; 2) informal settlements on state- owned desert land; 3) deteriorated sections of the old city core; and 4) deteriorated urban pockets. The General Organization of Physical Planning (GOPP) uses the same definition and classification for identifying informal areas.
In contrast, CAPMAS defines informal areas based only on the legal status: "Neighborhoods that have been constructed by individuals either on their own agricultural land or on vacant state desert land under the process of 'hand claim' without formal licenses or building documents" (Khadr et al. 2008). Yet another definition has been adopted by the Informal Settlement
Development Fund (ISDF), which distinguishes between unsafe and unplanned areas. Whereas unplanned areas simply do not comply with planning and building regulations, unsafe areas are defined as those in which 50% of the housing structures satisfy one or more risk criteria. These areas thus require more urgent intervention and are the ISDF's main focus (ISDF 2009).
Finally, the Participatory Development Program in Urban Areas, of the Ministry of Planning, Monitoring and Administrative Reform (MOPMAR) and the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ), adopted a definition that relates to both the legal status and the physical condition of the buildings in the area (Kipper and Fisher 2009; TU Berlin 2010; Abdelhalim 2011). Three categories are considered informal areas according to this definition: 1) legal but deteriorated structures, such as old inner-city houses; 2) structures that are illegally built but are in acceptable physical condition, and in addition suffer from a lack
of basic services and infrastructure; and 3) areas with illegal and deteriorated structures.
Given the lack of a standard definition for informal areas, there is also no agreement on the number of informal areas, their geographical boundaries and their population size. According to Information and Decision Support Center (IDSC) figures, there were 1,171 slum areas in Egypt in 2007/2008 (IDSC 2008). The MOPMAR figure was 1,133 areas in 2003, whereas the Ministry of Local Development's figure was 1,221 areas in 2002 (Sabry 2009). The 2008 Millennium Development Goals monitoring report highlights that the number of informal areas in Egypt increased from 1,174 in 2004 to 1,210 in 2006 (UNDP Egypt and Ministry of State for Economic Development 2008). The lack of a common definition for informal areas complicated the process of defining the sampling frame for the SYPE-IGC survey.
Since the main purpose of the project was not only to assess risk conditions and safety of informal areas but also to gain a broad understanding of young people's lives in these areas, we did not focus on unsafe areas (as defined by the ISDF), but included both deteriorated and unplanned areas, which both the GOPP and the MOPMAR agree should be considered informal.
-----> Survey sample
ArcView GIS software was used to identify the boundaries of each area which met the criteria of these two definitions, resulting in a total number of 245 such areas in Greater Cairo, of which 139 were in Cairo governorate, 65 in Giza and 41 in Qalyubia. Based on the boundaries defined by the GIS, CAPMAS provided maps of street names and buildings and estimated the number of households in these buildings for each defined area. The areas of each governorate were geographically sorted and then divided into enumeration areas primary sampling units (PSUs) that each contained around 100 households, resulting in 10,587 PSUs: 6,127 in Cairo, 2,754 in Giza and 1,706 in Qalyubia. The target sample size was 3,600 households, in order to reach a sample of around 3,000 eligible individuals aged 15-29 years.
The population was divided into three strata representing the three governorates and the selection of the households was then completed in three stages:
First stage: A number of PSUs were selected systematically from each governorate proportional to the total number of households in the informal areas in that governorate. In the selected PSUs, the CAPMAS fieldwork team listed all the households, which provided information on the name of the household head and the number of eligible individuals by age group and sex.
Second stage: Based on the average number of eligible individuals in each PSU from the listing, it was decided to select 12 households from each PSU using a systematic random sampling technique to achieve the required sample of 3,000 young persons.
Third stage: Within the selected households, the household listing was used to select the eligible young people who would be interviewed in the SYPE-IGC. At this stage, the eligible youth population was divided into four age/sex groups of 15-21 years old (males and females), and 22-29 years old (males and females). A maximum of one individual from each group from each household was selected using a Kish grid.
-----> Survey design and implementation
Although there is broad agreement among researchers and government bodies on the historical patterns leading to the informalization of Cairo and the main characteristics of informal areas, there is no consensus regarding the exact definition of informal areas. Based on the history of how informal areas emerged, Sims (2003) classifies the main types of informal areas in Cairo as: 1) informal settlements on private, formerly agricultural lands; 2) informal settlements on state- owned desert land; 3) deteriorated sections of the old city core; and 4) deteriorated urban pockets. The General Organization of Physical Planning (GOPP) uses the same definition and classification for identifying informal areas.
In contrast, CAPMAS defines informal areas based only on the legal status: "Neighborhoods that have been constructed by individuals either on their own agricultural land or on vacant state desert land under the process of 'hand claim' without formal licenses or building documents" (Khadr et al. 2008). Yet another definition has been adopted by the Informal Settlement
Development Fund (ISDF), which distinguishes between unsafe and unplanned areas. Whereas unplanned areas simply do not comply with planning and building regulations, unsafe areas are defined as those in which 50% of the housing structures satisfy one or more risk criteria. These areas thus require more urgent intervention and are the ISDF's main focus (ISDF 2009).
Finally, the Participatory Development Program in Urban Areas, of the Ministry of Planning, Monitoring and Administrative Reform (MOPMAR) and the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ), adopted a definition that relates to both the legal status and the physical condition of the buildings in the area (Kipper and Fisher 2009; TU Berlin 2010; Abdelhalim 2011). Three categories are considered informal areas according to this definition: 1) legal but deteriorated structures, such as old inner-city houses; 2) structures that are illegally built but are in acceptable physical condition, and in addition suffer from a lack
of basic services and infrastructure; and 3) areas with illegal and deteriorated structures.
Given the lack of a standard definition for informal areas, there is also no agreement on the number of informal areas, their geographical boundaries and their population size. According to Information and Decision Support Center (IDSC) figures, there were 1,171 slum areas in Egypt in 2007/2008 (IDSC 2008). The MOPMAR figure was 1,133 areas in 2003, whereas the Ministry of Local Development's figure was 1,221 areas in 2002 (Sabry 2009). The 2008 Millennium Development Goals monitoring report highlights that the number of informal areas in Egypt increased from 1,174 in 2004 to 1,210 in 2006 (UNDP Egypt and Ministry of State for Economic Development 2008). The lack of a common definition for informal areas complicated the process of defining the sampling frame for the SYPE-IGC survey.
Since the main purpose of the project was not only to assess risk conditions and safety of informal areas but also to gain a broad understanding of young people's lives in these areas, we did not focus on unsafe areas (as defined by the ISDF), but included both deteriorated and unplanned areas, which both the GOPP and the MOPMAR agree should be considered informal.
-----> Survey sample
ArcView GIS software was used to identify the boundaries of each area which met the criteria of these two definitions, resulting in a total number of 245 such areas in Greater Cairo, of which 139 were in Cairo governorate, 65 in Giza and 41 in Qalyubia. Based on the boundaries defined by the GIS, CAPMAS provided maps of street names and buildings and estimated the number of households in these buildings for each defined area. The areas of each governorate were geographically sorted and then divided into enumeration areas primary sampling units (PSUs) that each contained around 100 households, resulting in 10,587 PSUs: 6,127 in Cairo, 2,754 in Giza and 1,706 in Qalyubia. The target sample size was 3,600 households, in order to reach a sample of around 3,000 eligible individuals aged 15-29 years.
The population was divided into three strata representing the three governorates and the selection of the households was then completed in three stages:
First stage: A number of PSUs were selected systematically from each governorate proportional to the total number of households in the informal areas in that governorate. In the selected PSUs, the CAPMAS fieldwork team listed all the households, which provided information on the name of the household head and the number of eligible individuals by age group and sex.
Second stage: Based on the average number of eligible individuals in each PSU from the listing, it was decided to select 12 households from each PSU using a systematic random sampling technique to achieve the required sample of 3,000 young persons.
Third stage: Within the selected households, the household listing was used to select the eligible young people who would be interviewed in the SYPE-IGC. At this stage, the eligible youth population was divided into four age/sex groups of 15-21 years old (males and females), and 22-29 years old (males and females). A maximum of one individual from each group from each household was selected using a Kish grid.
Response rates
The survey consisted of two questionnaires, the household questionnaire and the eligible individual questionnaire. Households selected in stage two were administered a household questionnaire, even if the household did not include any eligible young person. Out of 3,616 covered households only 2,991 (82.8%) household questionnaires were fully filled out. The refusal rate and incomplete questionnaires were quite minimal (2.8%). However, the main reason for non-response was due to closed dwelling throughout the fieldwork days in the relevant PSU.
In the interviewed households, 2,948 young person aged 15-29 were eligible for the young person survey, of whom 2,942 completed the individual questionnaire. Three young people were unavailable during the whole survey time, and three refused, resulting in a response rate of 99.8% at the level of young people.
In the interviewed households, 2,948 young person aged 15-29 were eligible for the young person survey, of whom 2,942 completed the individual questionnaire. Three young people were unavailable during the whole survey time, and three refused, resulting in a response rate of 99.8% at the level of young people.
Weighting
Based on the sample design three weights were estimated to represent the households, the roster individuals, and the interviewed young people (aged 15- 29). The weights were adjusted for non-response. Also, expansion factors were calculated, using the estimated number of individuals and households residing in the total 10,587 PSUs, to reflect the actual size of the informal areas population.
Data collection
Dates of Data Collection
| Start | End |
|---|---|
| 2016-04-09 | 2016-05-20 |
Data Collectors
| Name |
|---|
| Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics |
Notes on data collection
The Population Council, in partnership with the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS), conducted the SYPE-IGC 2016. This survey covers a representative sample of 2,947 young people aged 15 to 29 from the three governorates of Greater Cairo: Cairo, Giza and Qalyubia. The fieldwork team consisted of 50 interviewers and supervisors. A quality control team from both the Population Council and CAPMAS closely supervised the day-to-day fieldwork activities. Simultaneously with the data collection, office review, coding and data entry took place at the CAPMAS premises. The Population Council received the clean data files from the survey at the end of August.
Data Access
Access authority
| Name | Affiliation | |
|---|---|---|
| Economic Research Forum | ERF | erfdataportal@erf.org.eg |
Confidentiality
| Is signing of a confidentiality declaration required? | Confidentiality declaration text |
|---|---|
| yes |
To access the micro-data, researchers are required to register on the ERF website and comply with the data access agreement. The data should only be used for scholarly, research, or educational purposes. Users are prohibited from using data acquired from the Economic Research Forum in the pursuit of any commercial or private ventures. |
Access conditions
Licensed datasets, accessible under conditions.
Citation requirement
-----> The users should cite the Population Council as the source of the data and the Economic Research Forum as the distributor as follows:
Population Council, 2016.
Survey of Young People in Informal Urban Areas of Greater Cairo, SYPE-IGC 2016 [Computer file]. Cairo, Egypt: Economic Research Forum (distributor).
-----> Acknowledgement must also be given to the Population Council's funders as follows:
Support for the Population Council's SYPE project was generously provided by the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the UNFPA, the UN Women, the UNICEF, the UN Volunteers, the UNAIDS, the Cairo office of the UNESCO, the WHO and the UNDP. The contents of this publication are the responsibility of the author/user and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Population Council or any of its donors.
Population Council, 2016.
Survey of Young People in Informal Urban Areas of Greater Cairo, SYPE-IGC 2016 [Computer file]. Cairo, Egypt: Economic Research Forum (distributor).
-----> Acknowledgement must also be given to the Population Council's funders as follows:
Support for the Population Council's SYPE project was generously provided by the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the UNFPA, the UN Women, the UNICEF, the UN Volunteers, the UNAIDS, the Cairo office of the UNESCO, the WHO and the UNDP. The contents of this publication are the responsibility of the author/user and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Population Council or any of its donors.
Disclaimer and copyrights
Disclaimer
The Economic Research Forum and the Population Council have granted the researcher access to relevant data following exhaustive efforts to protect the confidentiality of individual data. The researcher is solely responsible for any analysis or conclusions drawn from available data.
Copyright
(c) 2016, Population Council
Contacts
Contacts
| Name | |
|---|---|
| Economic Research Forum (ERF) - 21 Al-Sad Al-Aaly St., Dokki, Giza, Egypt | erfdataportal@erf.org.eg |
Metadata production
Document ID
EGY_SYPE_IGC_2016_V5
Producers
| Name |
|---|
| Population Council |
Date of metadata production
2018-02
Metadata version
Version
Version 5