WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.001 The right to housing? -OK and have you heard of such a thing as the right to housing? 00:00:03.001 --> 00:00:06.002 -What? -The right to housing. 00:00:06.002 --> 00:00:09.003 Of course - as an Egyptian citizen I know I have the right to decent housing, a decent life and livelihood. 00:00:09.003 --> 00:00:12.004 But where - who will get me these rights? 00:00:12.004 --> 00:00:20.005 It's the right of every Egyptian to have housing, to be able to live decently - all of this is your right as an Egyptian! 00:00:20.005 --> 00:00:23.006 It's my right, sure - but who do I demand this from? 00:00:23.006 --> 00:00:25.007 No, I don't know about these things... 00:00:25.007 --> 00:00:28.008 My right to housing... I've heard of it, but I don't see it in front of me. 00:00:28.008 --> 00:00:39.009 No, it doesn't exist. At all. 00:00:39.009 --> 00:00:43.010 Right to housing? There is no equality in housing at all. None whatsoever. 00:00:43.010 --> 00:00:52.011 Urban Dangers 1. Pollution 00:00:52.011 --> 00:00:55.012 There is no attention paid to sewage systems, 00:00:55.012 --> 00:00:57.013 They regularly burst, 00:00:57.013 --> 00:01:01.014 [44.4% of housing units in Egypt are not connected to sanitation systems.] -Maintenance is neglected, 00:01:01.014 --> 00:01:03.015 They're ruling over the country, and it remains in filth. 00:01:03.015 --> 00:01:06.016 Not once have they come here and paved the road or anything for this country. 00:01:06.016 --> 00:01:14.017 Those people that won in the elections promised to fix things and pave the roads and so on - and we've seen none of that. 00:01:14.017 --> 00:01:19.018 Constant fires... smoke... all of that. 00:01:19.018 --> 00:01:30.019 The only thing the district would do is come here and expand the roads and pile up the garbage... until you've got mountains of it. 00:01:28:000 --> 00:01:30:00 See this power line? 00:01:30.019 --> 00:01:47.020 If one of Habib el Adly's men were living near this power line it would have been removed by now. 00:01:47.020 --> 00:01:49.021 Urban Dangers 2. Collapsed buildings 00:01:49.021 --> 00:01:54.022 -They pulled me out from beneath all of this rubble, Look what it's like down there - if you look at it, you'd be too scared to pass down there. 00:01:54.022 --> 00:01:58.023 This house collapsed, and the rescue team came, and got them out from above, 00:01:58.023 --> 00:02:02.024 Neither the district nor the governor has paid any attention to them, 00:02:02.024 --> 00:02:06.025 The house collapsed, and we've been stranded like this since Monday. 00:02:06.025 --> 00:02:20.026 And no one gives a damn. No one's paid any attention to us, no one's come to us. 00:02:20.026 --> 00:02:27.027 Around 2% of housing units presently have construction flaws. 00:02:24,026 --> 00:02:26,000 Urban Dangers 3. Forced Eviction 00:02:27.027 --> 00:02:34.028 The first day the military police came, and the Ministry of Interior, they raided us out of the blue, at 6 am, 00:02:34.028 --> 00:02:39.029 -[Text] This is how the poor are treated in Egypt. They just kept demolishing everything... without a word. 00:02:39.029 --> 00:02:45.030 We ended up with our things out in the open, abandoned. They broke all our things, demolished them, beat us and abused us, and then left us. 00:02:45.030 --> 00:02:50.031 They did nothing else. We asked about halting the order for the demolitions - they said no, there will be no halting. 00:02:50.031 --> 00:02:58.032 They demolished the building with everything inside, furniture and all. They didn't even let anyone.... take even their personal things. 00:02:58.032 --> 00:03:03.033 As if we're in Gaza. 00:03:03.033 --> 00:03:06.034 [Lacking the Basics] 00:03:06.034 --> 00:03:11.035 I'll show you that the flat consists of a room, and something like a kitchen to keep equipment in. 00:03:11.035 --> 00:03:16.036 A room, where seven people sleep. Seven people, and a common toilet. 00:03:16.036 --> 00:03:19.037 A common toilet. 00:03:19.037 --> 00:03:21.038 He has neither housing, nor home, nor living. 00:03:21.038 --> 00:03:24.000 He and his family sleep here. 00:03:24.000 --> 00:03:28.040 Around 4.5% of families live in a single room. 00:03:28.040 --> 00:03:31.041 Around 6% of families use common toilets. 00:03:31.041 --> 00:03:35.042 Don't ask me why I sell a loaf of bread for 50 piastres now, 00:03:35.042 --> 00:03:40.043 Ask the governor! The governor refuses to subsidize you here, tells you you don't deserve it. 00:03:40.043 --> 00:03:58.044 He says, you live in Mohandiseen [an upscale neighbourhood] 00:03:58.044 --> 00:04:03.045 We pay a lot for the gas canisters - when we find them. We rarely find them. 00:04:03.045 --> 00:04:05.046 Thirty, thirty-five pounds. ($5) 00:04:05.046 --> 00:04:10.047 Around 76% of Egyptian families depend on gas canisters to cook with. 00:04:10.047 --> 00:04:13.048 [Transportation] -Yeah, transportation, we ride in semi pick-up trucks, 00:04:13.048 --> 00:04:17.049 The drivers don't stop, and we can't climb in from the back, 00:04:17.049 --> 00:04:20.050 And it's 1 pound ($0.17) per person, no matter how short the distance, 00:04:20.050 --> 00:04:23.051 Give them half and they keep fighting with you, and there we are standing at the stop, 00:04:23.051 --> 00:04:25.052 And riding in the back, too. 00:04:25.052 --> 00:04:32.053 The semi-formal public transport sector (microbuses) provides around 35% of transportation needs in Cairo. 00:04:32.053 --> 00:04:35.054 [Water] -We get water but, I mean, it's usually polluted. 00:04:35.054 --> 00:04:39.055 You pay for the water, either way you're paying, whether you like it or not, 00:04:39.055 --> 00:04:42.056 And if you don't pay they cut off the water supply. 00:04:42.056 --> 00:04:46.057 And I'm living in Nile country. We're surrounded by Nile water. 00:04:46.057 --> 00:04:49.058 Water cuts for a day or more in Cairo: 37 % 00:04:49.058 --> 00:04:53.059 National rate of water network loss: 50% 00:04:53.059 --> 00:04:59.060 Community Self-Organization 00:04:59.060 --> 00:05:03.061 For them it's a slum, but for us, it's the best place in the world. 00:05:03.061 --> 00:05:06.062 It's enough that not a single incident of theft has occurred. 00:05:06.062 --> 00:05:10.063 No one has dared to sneak into our neighborhood. 00:05:10.063 --> 00:05:13.064 Because we're real men and we stand up to protect it. 00:05:13.064 --> 00:05:17.065 Here we don't have singular roles - we take on the responsibility of the local government. 00:05:17.065 --> 00:05:20.066 Meaning district governance. 00:05:20.066 --> 00:05:23.067 We clean... we do the job of the Ministry of Environment. 00:05:23.067 --> 00:05:27.068 We take on protection and security... the jobs of the police and the Interior Ministry. 00:05:27.068 --> 00:05:29.069 We protect the place. 00:05:29.069 --> 00:05:33.070 They spread the idea that people in slum areas are all filth. 00:05:33.070 --> 00:05:35.071 That we don't know anything. 00:05:35.071 --> 00:05:38.072 Poverty isn't a shame! 00:05:38.072 --> 00:05:43.073 They are the reason - this poverty is targeted - they are the reason it exists. 00:05:43.073 --> 00:05:47.074 For 20 years this place was a garbage dump. 00:05:47.074 --> 00:05:49.075 We cleaned it up of our own accord. 00:05:49.075 --> 00:05:55.076 Because they refused to - even the gas canisters, we get them from outside to distribute among people here. 00:05:55.076 --> 00:05:59.077 But state - there is no state. Government? There is no government. 00:05:59.077 --> 00:06:02.078 I got these numbers - up till 100, 00:06:02.078 --> 00:06:06.079 To get a canister, you take a card, let's say number 8 - and you get that canister. 00:06:06.079 --> 00:06:13.080 Out of a very small amount, I have to spend daily wages for protection, 00:06:13.080 --> 00:06:18.081 With the same amount, I get bulbs and wires, to light the roads, 00:06:18.081 --> 00:06:24.082 I use it to clean. 00:06:24.082 --> 00:06:30.083 As you can see, some passerby donate as well. 00:06:30.083 --> 00:06:34.084 So we can say... there is still good in Egypt. 00:06:34.084 --> 00:06:41.085 We just need more of an awakening in conscience. 00:06:41.085 --> 00:06:44.086 We stood and protected the place - why? 00:06:44.086 --> 00:06:47.087 I mean.... it's your country, your people, your blood. 00:06:47.087 --> 00:06:52.088 It's your place, where you live, where you grow. 00:06:52.088 --> 00:06:58.089 That goes for the poor as well as the rich. 00:06:58.089 --> 00:07:01.090 During the days of the revolution, things got a bit out of control, 00:07:01.090 --> 00:07:03.091 We work hard, and build, 00:07:03.091 --> 00:07:07.092 Lest they pop up again and cause any disturbance, you know? 00:07:07.092 --> 00:07:13.093 It's your property and everything, but it brings quite a burden, 00:07:13.093 --> 00:07:16.094 For anyone who wants to build. Especially someone who's ill - won't build anything at all. 00:07:16.094 --> 00:07:19.095 Slums? Of course not. 00:07:19.095 --> 00:07:25.096 I mean I was born here, 80 or 90 years ago, and we're doing work no one knows anything about, 00:07:25.096 --> 00:07:29.097 If it's developed properly, it'll be the best place in all of Egypt. 00:07:29.097 --> 00:07:32.098 These 'slums' are their own creation, 00:07:32.098 --> 00:07:35.099 I am, thank God, a poor man with faith. 00:07:35.099 --> 00:07:40.100 But, thank God, I am rich with God's blessings and people's prayers for me. 00:07:40.100 --> 00:07:46.101 But I have the capability and the ability to do things even the biggest authority in the country can't accomplish! 00:07:46.101 --> 00:07:52.102 Why, because I live in the area, and I know what will benefit the area, and what it needs. 00:07:52.102 --> 00:07:55.103 Now who are they that can benefit the country? 00:07:55.103 --> 00:08:01.104 And who will listen to us, and help us, and see what our demands are. 00:08:01.104 --> 00:08:04.105 Our demands are not personal demands for us - they are public demands. 00:08:04.105 --> 00:08:08.106 That can benefit the country, benefit the citizens using these roads. 00:08:08.106 --> 00:08:11.107 The right to housing, and a just and sustainable society. Have you taken your rights? 00:08:11.107 --> 00:08:16.108 Special thanks to the people of: Kom Ghorab, el-Basateen, Shubrament, St. Katerine, Greater al-Amrawi farm, el-Hagana farm, el-Muneeb. 00:08:16.108 --> 99:59:59.999 The Right to Housing Series First Episode