Egypt - United Nations Development Programme

However, the most important impact of the HDRs at the national level remains the
allocation of resources towards the neediest governorates and villages, although this is
still on an experimental basis. Indeed, as a result of the 2004 report, decentralization was
initiated on a pilot basis in the education sector, and a pilot initiative to target commodity
and energy subsidies is being launched in the Suez Governorate. Finally, at the start of
the 2005 fiscal year, a decision was taken to move 15 percent of total government
expenditure and school building activities to the governorates.
B) Governorate level
The NHDRs as well as the GHDRs, which began to be published in 2004, had an impact
at the governorate level. As mentioned earlier, the 1996, 2002/2003 and 2004 HDRs
particularly stressed on regional disparities. The GHDRs were very influential in creating
awareness on HD issues at the local level and among different strata of the population.
Indeed, the Governors’ Round Table convened in 1994 proposed “…to examine the
causes of development disparities and to find effective solutions.” Similarly, Governors
in the Fayoum Declaration “…pledged to use reports as guidelines and references for
decision making.” (Box V).
Through the preparation of the GHDRs, the local population expressed major
challenges facing its socio-economic development and proposed alternative solutions.
Professors in local universities were introduced to the concept of HD through their
participation in the preparation of the GHDRs. “The governorate reports were demand
driven and addressed the most pressing needs of local populations. Meetings at the
localities have allowed stakeholders to express their aspirations and voice their choices
and priorities…Impact of local reports at the governorate level reached the following
categories: (a) governors and decision makers were empowered with a scientific tool and
sensitized to the concept of HD; (b) local executive and popular council members became
sensitized to the concept of HD; (c) local experts and professors from regional
universities were heavily involved in preparation of the reports; (d) capacity building is
evident through the holding of 120 workshops for experts to develop local indicators; (e)
a local newsletter on HD is published for the 26 governorates; and (f) 32,000 staff were
involved in data collection at the marakiz level.”(Box V)
It is worth mentioning here that the GHDRs drew attention to regional disparities
both amongst governorates as well as within governorates. “The governorate reports
pointed to the large discrepancies between rural and urban regions within each
governorate, and to the gender gaps in development. They identified illiterate women and
women heading households as the most vulnerable.” (Box V).
In particular, the 2002/2003 HDR drew attention to a large discrepancy in
development across the country, with stagnation in Upper Egypt and growth in Lower
Egypt.
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