CAPMAS: Under-18 Population Drops as Egypt's Birth Rates Decline

Main The Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) reported that Egypt's population of people under the age of 18 has decreased to 39.5 million as of early 2024, representing 37.3% of the total population. This marks a slight drop from 2023, when children made up 37.7% of the population.

Additionally, the country’s birth rates have been on a 10-year downward trend, with the birth rate falling to 19.4 per 1,000 people in 2023, down from 21.1 per 1,000 in 2022. These declines reflect the government's efforts to curb population growth, with the fertility rate also decreasing from 3.5 children per woman in 2014 to 2.54 children per woman in 2023.

As of early 2024, boys represent 51.3% of the child population (20.3 million), while girls make up 48.7% (19.2 million).  In terms of education, CAPMAS reported school dropout rates for primary education increased slightly to 0.3%. However, there was significant improvement in preparatory education, where the dropout rate decreased to 0.7% in 2023/2024. Additionally, classroom density remains an issue, with pre-primary education averaging 32 students per class, primary education averaging 50 students per class, and preparatory education averaging 48 students.

In terms of social progress, Egypt has made strides in reducing female genital mutilation (FGM). The percentage of girls up to 17 years old who underwent FGM has decreased from 18% in 2014 to 12% in 2021. However, the practice remains more common in rural areas compared to urban regions.

This report was released on World Children’s Day, celebrated annually on November 20th, to highlight children’s rights, as outlined by the United Nations General Assembly in 1959.