Child Development in Egypt

1. Child Developmentin Egypt Luci Doherty Stephen McCue Tim Schmotzer

2. Culture of Egypt • Capital: Cairo • Population: 67 million • Climate: Desert • Hot and dry summers, with moderate winters • Government: Republic • Official Language: Arabic • Religions: • 90% Sunni Muslim • 8% Coptic Christian • 2% Jewish and other Christian denominations

3. Culture of Egypt • People: • 99% Eastern Hamitic background (Ancient Egyptian descent) • 1% Greek, Nubian, Armenian, Italian, French • Half of the population consists of peasantry, they live in rural areas and earn their living through farming, the other half consists of the rich or socially elite. • The people are mostly located around the Nile River and Nile Delta.

4. Culture in Egypt • Most businesses are closed on Fridays, because it is a holy day for Muslims. • Ramadan: no eating, drinking, smoking, or gum chewing while the sun is up. • Egyptian Muslims are only allowed to work for 6 hours a day during the month of Ramadan. • Christians can not eat, drink, smoke, or chew gum in public either during the month of Ramadan.

5. Culture in Egypt • Family • The most important thing in Egyptian society • Includes the nuclear and extended family • Honor • Requires hospitality to friends and guests. • Dress as well as financial circumstances allow. • Proper respect to elders and authority. • A mans word, if broken, will bring dishonor to the family. • An individuals honor is tied to the reputation of the entire family.

6. Culture in Egypt • Women • Expected to be conservative and modest. • Educated and normally the pride of their parents until they marry. • Widely present in professional work force, often wear a head scarf as a symbol of modesty and to discourage male advances in the professional field. • Expected to keep arm and legs covered.

7. Physical Child Development • Child Labor • An estimated 2.7 million (20.5%) Egyptian children between the ages of 6 and 14 are involved in some form of labor. • These conditions dramatically reduce a child's opportunities as an adult. • Children are being exposed to pesticides, chemicals, and pollutants these, conditions are more serious and long-lasting for children than they are for adults.

8. Physical Child Development Child Labor • Hazardous work • Has lead to spine and neck problems • Excessive Work • Consists of working more than 6 hours a day, without days off or regular breaks during the day. • Has lead to back problems

9. Cognitive Development • Schooling • Gender differences • Low literacy rate • Socioeconomic status

10. Cognitive Development • Early Child Development (ECD) Programs • Started in 1996 • Improved school performance • Direct benefits • Long-term benefits

11. Social Development • Activities: • In the little time the children have to play, if any at all, most play soccer which is the most popular sport. • Poverty: • Lack of proper hygiene, healthcare, and unsanitary living conditions. • Child labor is a big problem in Egypt with 23-30% of most families total income coming from their children who usually work for 12 hours a day. • Families: • Most families are very big groups of people living together in small areas. • Many children are abandoned by their families. • Labor Laws: • Children born after 2004 have a better chance of successful lives due to child labor laws finally being set in place.

12. Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7ihdsjIqhI

13. APA references • Friedman, N., Oppenheim, K., Russel, T., & Tennenbaum, E. (1998). The Children of Egypt: A Struggling Generation. Retrieved April 29, 2013, from Tulane University website: http://www.tulane.edu/~rouxbee/kids98/egypt.html • Kwintessential. (n.d.). Egypt - Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette. Retrieved April 29, 2013, from Kwintessential website: http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/egypt-country-profile.html • Mahoney, J., & Demand Media. (n.d.). The Culture of Egypt [Newsgroup post]. Retrieved from USA Today website: http://traveltips.usatoday.com/culture-egypt-32949.html • Pearson Education. (2007). Kids From Egypt. Retrieved April 28, 2013, from Fact Monster website: http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0930063.html • Save the Children. (n.d.). ?TOOLKIT TO ADDRESS CHILD LABOUR IN THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR IN EGYPT. Retrieved April 29, 2013, from Save the Children website: http://www.savethechildren.org.uk/sites/default/files/docs/EGYPTToolKitchapters_final_version.pdf • UNICEF. (n.d.). Egypt: The Children. Retrieved April 29, 2013, from United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund website: http://www.unicef.org/egypt/overview.html • Janssens, W., Van DerGaag, J., Tanaka, S., & Academy for Educational Development, •  W. C. (2001). Arab Republic of Egypt: An Economic Analysis of Early Childhood Education/Development. • Dancer, D., & Rammohan, A. (2007). Determinants of Schooling in Egypt: The Role of Gender   and Rural/Urban Residence. Oxford Development Studies, 35(2), 171-195. doi:10.1080/13600810701322041 • Dickerscheid, J. D., Schwarz, P. M., Noir, S., & El-Taliawy, M. T. (1988). Gender Concept Development of Preschool-Aged Children in the United States and Egypt. Sex Roles, 18(11/12), 669-677. • WorldBank. (n.d.). In Egypt: A Future without Child Labor. Retrieved April 29, 2013, from World Bank website: http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/MENAEXT/0,,contentMDK:21867319~menuPK:247603~pagePK:2865106~piPK:2865128~theSitePK:256299,00.html