Right to Urban Space in Post-Revolution Cairo: A Study for Street Vending Phenomenon

Abstract

There is no doubt that the street vendors phenomenon plays a vital role in shaping today’s urban spaces and settlements, causing in many cases substantial forms of informality. From another perspective, there is undisputed agreement that all people have equal rights to the city’s urban spaces. The chapter addresses this duality in the Egyptian context and specifically after the 25th of January revolution, when street vending phenomena became massively spread.

The first section of this chapter sheds light on the rights of street vendors’ as exhibited in UN Human Rights Declaration, the Egyptian Constitution and the Peddlers’ law. The second section shows the features and characteristics of the informal vending and vendors, while assessing their impact on the physical urban spaces as well as the public’ reaction towards these characteristics. This section discusses the problems and negative impacts of the phenomenon on the community as well. The third section demonstrates and assesses the national policies that address and tackle the vendors’ phenomena in Egypt.

This chapter attempts to show the importance of studying the spatial dynamics of the activities in urban informal sectors, as it became a key player in citizen’s daily struggle and suffering. Needs of street traders should be understood and put into consideration in any spatial urban policy aimed to tackle this issue.