EVALUATION OF HOUSING SITUATION FOR VULNERABLE GROUPS IN EGYPT

Abstract

“Some groups or individuals have a particularly hard time exercising their right to adequate housing as a result of who they are… To protect the right to housing effectively, it is necessary to pay attention to the specific situation of individuals and groups, in particular those living in vulnerable situations.” (Housing Policies for Social Cohesion 2008). Vulnerable groups including (immigrants, disabled people, elderly, one-head households, the unemployed, victims of disasters and wars, and so on) are a growing segment in the world and our society. In Egypt, periodic reports about their demographics, economic, and social situations are released by the government, organizations of civil society, and international bodies. Housing laws and policies should be tailored to those groups rather than merely targeting the majority groups. The Government in cooperation with the Ministry of Housing supports the vulnerable social groups through social housing projects and subsidies. However, the Egyptian housing market faces difficulties in accommodating a variety of social subgroups where housing offerings themselves are narrow and unfulfilled of the specific needs of each group.