Sisi addresses population challenges during 2017 census conference

CAIRO – 30 September 2017: During the conference held on Saturday to announce the population count along other statistics in Egypt, President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi stressed that the government and society must pay close attention to the data presented which sheds light on many issues and challenges.

The president drew attention to the fact that there is a large number of girls who are unofficially married at the age of 12, and of whom many who are divorced and widowed.

“Be careful, how would a girl at that age assume such a responsibility? Abolishing that practice requires a very strong initiative. How some can be so harsh on their daughters,” Sisi said.

The president also pointed to the estimated 10 million uninhabited housing units, saying they could be used to resolve the housing crisis for many. “We have families that share same bathrooms and kitchens in some areas,” Sisi added.

“There are a lot of issues that were not mentioned in the conference that must also be faced,” sis stated. “That count took four years and came at great effort and expense, and we should take advantage of the data. We must face these flaws in society in collaboration with civil society and media.”

The president concluded by thanking all 40,000 individuals “of both genders” who who carried out the data collection.