Abstract:
The paper examines the structure of the social protection system in Egypt including its contributory and non-contributory components. It begins by examining the historical evolution of the system, its scale and reach, and its sources of financing. The book then assesses the de jure and de facto coverage of the system and the adequacy of payments for different kinds of workers and socio-economic groups. We end by examining the effectiveness of existing institutions in delivering social protection in light of the limited implementation capacity of the state, the incentive of firms to operate in the formal economy, and the potential tensions between individual participation in contributory social insurance and access to noncontributory social assistance.