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Tag: Family Planning

 

Demographic Opportunities and Challenges in Western Africa

1/17/13
John May

Population and development in Western Africa are closely linked. At the heart of these issues lies the slow demographic transition of the region’s countries, which still experience some of the highest fertility rates in the world.

Last month the Center for Global Development hosted a meeting on the Role of Population and Development Research in Western Africa at our offices in Washington DC.   Over the daylong workshop, 17 participants with a diverse range of expertise and perspectives discussed the many pressing population and development issues in that part of the world. Participants came from organizations including USAID, the World Bank, IPAS, UC Berkeley, UNPFA, PRB, the Hewlett Foundation, and Cornell University. In their discussions, the group agreed that there remains a lack of clear policy recommendations or consensus on how to best address the population and development nexus, despite a renewed focus on the role of family planning, reproductive health, and demography as essential drivers of economic development.   In addition, a few common themes emerged and participants identified several research questions that will require closer attention over the coming years.

A Wake-Up Call on Contraceptive Rates in Africa

10/11/12
John May

Between 1970 and 2010, most emerging countries achieved impressive gains in contraceptive coverage. As a result, their fertility has declined, their population growth rate has slowed down, and many of these countries have been able to capture the economic benefits of the demographic dividend, which occurs when the labor force becomes relatively larger in the total population thanks to lower fertility levels. In addition, the fertility decline improves the dependency ratios and reduces the burden of youth on working adults.

Contraception: Necessary but Not Sufficient

7/12/12
Rachel Silverman

Family planning is back with a bang, thanks to this week’s London Summit. The event, several months in the making, was the brainchild of the UK government and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, in partnership with the UNFPA. According to early reports, the Summit was a resounding success, raising $4.6 billion in commitments from government donors, NGOs, and international foundations. With these funds, donors have pledged to provide access to contraceptives for an additional 120 million women and girls, which they believe could prevent 200,000 maternal deaths, and stop 3 million infants from dying in their first year of life.

Who Will Spend the New Money for Family Planning?

7/12/12
Amanda Glassman

Yesterday’s family planning summit seems to have mobilized new funding commitments totaling USD 414.5 million between now and 2015. Without going into whether this increased funding will displace spending on other global health and development priorities, no one seems to have mentioned what organization will actually allocate and spend these additional resources.

West Africa: The Demographic Dividend Is Not a Given

5/15/12
John May

Nowadays, the international development community is abuzz about the strong economic performance of sub-Saharan Africa.  This year alone, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimates growth in the region at 5.4 percent, and only ‘developing Asia’ should do better.  Often this kind of economic boon is accompanied by falling fertility rates that usher in a ‘demographic dividend’ – or a window of opportunity when dependency ratios decline and the labor force increases relatively.  But rapid population growth in the West African sub-region in particular may slow down economic development and

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