Child Prostitution

The Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children

Arab Republic of Egypt                                                        [ Country-by-Country Reports ]

The Arab Republic of Egypt [map], located NE Africa and SW Asia, is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea (N), Israel and the Red Sea (E), Sudan (S), and Libya (W).  Egypt's capital and largest city is Cairo.  Over the last decade, Egypt has made great strides towards the achievement of child rights.  The majority of its inhabitants are concentrated into about 5% of the total land area, putting a heavy burden on public services and causing massive migration to Cairo and Alexandria.  Approximately 23% of the population live below the national poverty line, and despite free education, 60% of adult females and 36% of adult males are illiterate.  The development of an export market for natural gas is a bright spot for future growth prospects, but does little to reduce Egypt's persistent unemployment.

CAUTION:  The following links and accompanying text have been culled from the web to illuminate the situation in Egypt.  Some of these links may lead to websites that present allegations that are unsubstantiated, misleading or even false.   No attempt has been made to validate their authenticity or to verify their content.

ECPAT – On-line form for reporting child prostitution and other sexual offences against children

Quick Search for Missing Children - Select Gender, Country (Egypt), and Years Missing

National Plan of Action

U.S. Dept of Labor Bureau of International Labor Affairs

INCIDENCE AND NATURE OF CHILD LABOR - Street children are particularly vulnerable to becoming involved in illicit activities, including stealing, smuggling, pornography, and prostitution. In particular, the commercial sexual exploitation of children is greatly under-acknowledged given that Egyptian cities (Alexandria and Cairo in particular) are reported destinations for sex tourism.

Concluding Observations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) - 2001

[51] The Committee is concerned at the insufficient data and awareness of the phenomenon of commercial sexual exploitation of children in Egypt.

ECPAT: Fifth Report on implementation of the Agenda for Action [DOC]

[B] COUNTRY UPDATES – EGYPT – In Egypt the subject of CSEC is still very sensitive and considered to be a personal matter. Thus, the government, as well as local NGOs, are confronted by cultural as well as traditional obstacles in constructively and practically dealing with the commercial sexual exploitation of children. Moreover, the particular problem of CSEC has traditionally not been a priority as it considered to be limited in extent.  Accordingly, there is still insufficient data and awareness concerning the phenomenon.

Child Protection - Egypt's Street Children: Issues And Impact

These children lead an unhealthy and often dangerous life that leaves them deprived of their basic needs for protection, guidance, and supervision and exposes them to different forms of exploitation and abuse. For many, survival on the street means begging and sexual exploitation by adults.

Commercial sexual exploitation of children - Middle East/North Africa region

These countries also have in common, however, a number of constraints that have hindered preparation of national plans of action. In all the countries of the region, there is cultural resistance to addressing the problem because the subject is largely taboo.  Often the issue is dealt with more generally under headings such as ‘violence’ and ‘trauma’.  This means that there has been no regional consensus on defining CSEC in law; in some countries, for example, it is looked upon as an indecent act, in others as rape, although in all 20 countries there is some section of the penal code that can be invoked against sexual abuse and exploitation.

A Situational Analysis of Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children in Egypt [PDF]

[2.1.2] Prostitution - There is evidence that prostitution is spreading in Egypt and on a broad scale. However in depth research has been difficult due a deep fear of legal and social punishment, which leads to denial of its existence. Child sexual exploitation through prostitution is thus even more difficult to document.

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