Africa’s Demographic Transition : Key Messages
Declines in child mortality, followed by declines in fertility, produce a youth bulge generation and a period when a country has a large number of working age people and a smaller number of dependents. If gainfully employed, a large number of worke...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Brief |
| Language: | English en_US |
| Published: |
World Bank, Washington, DC
2016
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2016/02/25973000/africa’s-demographic-transition-dividend-or-disaster http://hdl.handle.net/10986/23801 |
| Summary: | Declines in child mortality, followed by
declines in fertility, produce a youth bulge generation and
a period when a country has a large number of working age
people and a smaller number of dependents. If gainfully
employed, a large number of workers per capita gives a boost
to the economy. The different demographic profiles,
including stubbornly high fertility rates in a majority of
Sub-Saharan African countries, make it urgent to act with
targeted attention to country context and specific needs
across a number of sectors. To reap a large demographic
dividend, Africa requires policies that accelerate the
reduction in child mortality and help couples to achieve a
smaller family size, empower women and girls by improving
their health, increasing investment in their education and
skills, and providing them with greater market, social, and
decision-making power. The size and duration of a dividend
will also depend on job creation and improvements in
domestic saving. |
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