In the coming decades, West African countries could benefit from a “demographic window of opportunity” in order to reduce their poverty. The entry of 160 million young people into the labor market between 2010 and 2030 can accelerate economic growth. However, these countries will only benefit from this “demographic dividend” – which the now emerging countries have been doing for the past 40 years – if they lower their fertility rates. This in turn will reduce the number of inactive dependents per worker. Yet with an average of over five children per woman, these rates continue to be the highest in the world.
But how should this major demographic turning point be addressed? This publication provides a synthesis of an extensive study conducted in 12 West African countries. It seeks to identify the public policies and levers for action (family planning and promotion of contraception in particular) that are likely to meet this challenge. To achieve this, the countries in question will need to allocate three to five times more resources to this policy than they do today.
-
on the same region
Institutional documentInfographicspublished in April 2024Institutional documentpublished in April 2024Institutional documentStrategy Documentspublished in April 2024Vidéopublished in March 2024Vidéopublished in February 2024Research documentpublished in January 2024 -
on the same topic
Institutional documentReviews and Activity ReportsInfographicspublished in April 2024Vidéopublished in December 2023Institutional documentReviews and Activity Reportspublished in September 2023Vidéopublished in September 2023Research documentpublished in July 2023Vidéopublished in July 2023 -
from the same collection
Research documentpublished in July 2015Research documentpublished in May 2015Research documentpublished in February 2015Research documentpublished in February 2014Research documentpublished in July 2013Research documentpublished in April 2013