This paper analyses Egypt’s social protection systems. It asks why poverty is so widespread and why – despite the country’s numerous sophisticated social protection systems - social risks are a major contributing factor to poverty in Egypt. It concludes that reforms are due. The existing systems are well funded but comparatively inefficient and more to the benefit of the better-off than the poor. A strategy is proposed which builds, on the one hand, on reforming the existing public pension schemes and extending public social assistance spending and, on the other hand, on policy measures designed to make people more aware of social risks as well as on partnerships between NGOs, private insurance companies and the state aimed at offering micro-insurance to the poor.