Publication: Africa’s Demographic Transition: Key Messages
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2015-10
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2016-03-02
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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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“Canning, David; Raja, Sangeeta; Yazbeck, Abdo. 2015. Africa’s Demographic Transition: Key Messages. Health, nutrition, and population global
practice knowledge brief;. © World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/23801 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”
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