Population, Poverty, and Sustainable Development : A Review of the Evidence
There is a very large but scattered literature debating the economic implications of high fertility. This paper reviews the literature on three themes: (a) Does high fertility affect low-income countries' prospects for economic growth and pove...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Policy Research Working Paper |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2012
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/main?menuPK=64187510&pagePK=64193027&piPK=64187937&theSitePK=523679&menuPK=64187510&searchMenuPK=64187283&siteName=WDS&entityID=000158349_20110630131122 http://hdl.handle.net/10986/3484 |
| Summary: | There is a very large but scattered
literature debating the economic implications of high
fertility. This paper reviews the literature on three
themes: (a) Does high fertility affect low-income
countries' prospects for economic growth and poverty
reduction? (b) Does population growth exacerbate pressure on
natural resources? and (c) Are family planning programs
effective at lowering fertility, and should they be publicly
funded? The literature shows broad consensus that while
policy and institutional settings are key in shaping the
prospects of economic growth and poverty reduction, the rate
of population growth also matters. Recent studies find that
low dependency ratios (as fertility declines) create an
opportunity for increasing productivity, savings and
investment in future growth. They find that lower fertility
is associated with better child health and schooling, and
better health and greater labor-force participation for
women. They also indicate that rapid population growth can
constrain economic growth, especially in low-income
countries with poor policy environments. Population growth
also exacerbates pressure on environmental common property
resources. Studies highlight the deep challenges to aligning
divergent interests for managing these resources. However,
part of the pressure on these resources can be mitigated by
reducing the rate of population growth. Although family
planning programs are only one policy lever to help reduce
fertility, studies find them effective. Such programs might
help especially in the Sub-Saharan African region, where
high fertility and institutional constraints on economic
growth combine to slow rises in living standards. |
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