Africa S Population Challenge

This book examines the promises as well as the challenges the demographic dividend brings to sub-Saharan Africa as fertility rates in the region fall and the labor force grows. It offers a detailed analysis of what conditions must be met in order for the region to take full economic advantage of ongoing population dynamics. As the book makes clear, the region will need to accelerate reforms to cope with its demographic transition, in particular the decline of fertility. The continent will need to foster human capital formation through renewed efforts in the areas of education, health and employment. This will entail a true vision and determination on the part of African leaders and their development partners. The book will help readers to gain solid knowledge of the demographic trends and provide insights into socioeconomic policies that eventually might lead sub-Saharan Africa into a successful future.

African Families in the Twenty-First Century explores the idea that the family is the basic unit of society and an enduring multifunctional institution in Africa. The functions and structures of African families, as well as the multiple roles played by Africa's women, are undergoing structural changes. The ways in which education, employment, and current economic conditions reshape these complex roles are immense. The challenges facing African families and their members-such as globalization, war, poverty, economic restructuring, reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, harmful traditional practices, aging, and care and support of the elderly-have magnified due to a series of economic, social, political, religious, ecological, and other related factors. Author Aderanti Adepoju explores the vulnerability and resilience of African families in the face of these crises and challenges. He also looks at the opportunities facing African families in the new millennium. Because of the importance of African families to the development process, African Families in the Twenty-First Century is essential reading for planners, policy makers, activists, academics, and students.

In sub-Saharan Africa, older people make up a relatively small fraction of the total population and are supported primarily by family and other kinship networks. They have traditionally been viewed as repositories of information and wisdom, and are critical pillars of the community but as the HIV/AIDS pandemic destroys family systems, the elderly increasingly have to deal with the loss of their own support while absorbing the additional responsibilities of caring for their orphaned grandchildren. Aging in Sub-Saharan Africa explores ways to promote U.S. research interests and to augment the sub-Saharan governments' capacity to address the many challenges posed by population aging. Five major themes are explored in the book such as the need for a basic definition of "older person," the need for national governments to invest more in basic research and the coordination of data collection across countries, and the need for improved dialogue between local researchers and policy makers. This book makes three major recommendations: 1) the development of a research agenda 2) enhancing research opportunity and implementation and 3) the translation of research findings.

La population demeure l'élément central des stratégies de développement. En effet, l'amélioration du bien-être de la population est l'objectif ultime desdites stratégies alors que celle-ci devrait demeurer l'acteur de cette amélioration tant dans la conception que dans la mise en pratique et l'évaluation des programmes de développement. Dès lors que l'on veut comprendre les défis auxquels les stratégies de développement doivent faire face en Afrique subsaharienne, il est impérieux d'analyser les contingences et les évolutions qui caractérisent la population. Les auteurs des contributions, réunies dans ce numéro de Dounia, proposent ainsi des éclairages analytiques sur la fécondité, l'éducation, la nutrition et les migrations en Afrique subsaharienne. Des politiques de développement sectoriel ou global pourraient s'en inspirer.