CONTENTS | ANB-BIA HOMEPAGE | WEEKLY NEWS
by Alain Agboton, Senegal, October 1998
THEME = DEMOGRAPHY
A demographic revolution is taking place.
It's imperative this goes hand in hand
with the country's development
A quiet revolution is taking place. Senegal is at the beginning of a demographic transition, even though, as with the rest of sub- Saharan Africa, it will find the change difficult. But change there must be, in line with the imperatives of development and in conformity with them.
The latest demographical surveys (carried out in 1997 and recently published), show a drop in the average number of children born to each woman (the basic fertility index), and an increase in the use of contraception in urban areas. Moreover, elements relating to the trend towards later marriage, long term intensive breast-feeding, increased survival of children to their fifth birthday, show the trend towards increased control of fertility.
All these issues point to clear demographic change, and accompanying economic growth for the government. The context for this relates to resources, potential, capacity of the people and the control and distribution of wealth.
The correlation between population and planning of development is clear. In Senegal, the improved economic situation (5.2% growth in 1996 and 5.7% in 1997) enables greater awareness these days, of population issues and health problems, as well as of poverty. Senegal has 8.5 million inhabitants over an area of 297,000 km2. Demographic growth is 2.7%, GDP is 475 dollars per person and inflation was 2.5% in 1997.
In 1978, the base fertility index was 7.2 children; in 1986 it was 6.6 children and in 1997, 5.7 children. This reduction only involved a small proportion of the rural population, where there is a certain "reluctance to change patterns of behaviour".
It may be noted in general that the average age on first marriage (legal age 16) is delayed; remarriage of divorced and widowed women during their fertile years has increased; while the use of modern contraceptive methods is still very low.
In rural areas, the rate of use of modern methods of contraception was 2.1% in 1997 compared to 1.4% in 1992-93, but breast-feeding was used as a means of controlling fertility. Urban areas, on the other hand, have experienced a real change in rates of fertility. Between the end of the 70s and the mid-90s, the average number of children per woman dropped from 6.52 to 4.3. The age on first marriage was later, being the main cause of the reduction in fertility, especially noticeable in girls who attended modern schools. The age on marriage of women with a higher level of ed-ucation was 22 years, six years older than girls who had never been to school. It appears that educating women is the best method of contraception!
In Dakar, 71% of girls aged between 15 and 24 years are not yet married. There is a significant increase in the use of modern contraceptive methods. The level of use of modern methods rose from 11.8% in 92/93 to 19.3% in 1997. For girls having the advantage of secondary education, the rate of use is 35%. If the use of traditional methods, at 4%, is included, there is an average rate of use of around 23.8% for these urban women.
The later age of first marriage has had the effect of increasing the number of single people, and is the source of other problems, such as the longer period of exposure of young women to the risk of pregnancy outside marriage, or unwanted pregnancy, and to sexually-transmitted diseases, and changes in family structure, where girls have to remain longer at home. This leads to problems in developing "strategies for independence" for 60% of girls aged between 20 and 22, who have interrupted their education, are unemployed, have health problems (such as unwanted pregnancies, etc.) and have problems with relationships, love life, social life and money.
The most favourable factor in this demographic change is the levelling off of the infant mortality figures. No significant reduction has been observed, it remains at 139 per 1000 deaths before the fifth birthday. In 1986 and 1993, these figures were 190 and 157 per thousand respectively.
Expert opinion states that reforms are necessary in the legislative and regulatory aspects of health care and family planning, in order to accommodate new requirements, especially those of adolescents. This requirement simultaneously relieves of responsibility the family, the state and its institutions, to help people better to manage their sexuality and fertility. In any case, special attention is given to these reforms by the head of State, Mr Abdou Diouf, who wants to "consolidate and expand experience as regards population".
At the same time, as regards men, there has been a clear improvement in terms of knowledge and practice of contraceptive method. Overlooked for a long time in family planning programmes, they now taking on the role of favoured targets, playing as they obviously do, a crucial part in the procreative activity of the couple.
Use of contraception among married men has increased from 10.9% in 1992/93 to 15.7% in 1997, an increase of 44%. The same increase has been seen in the use of modern methods: 6.5% in 1992-93 to 9.4% in 1997. The condom remains the most widely used method. Most husbands (77%) however, have never discussed family planning with their wives.
It should also be noted that polygamy is still very widespread in Senegal, involving 45% of married women. It is more common in rural areas than in towns, 48% compared to 42%, and more in the south and centre of the country than in the west and north west.
END
CONTENTS | ANB-BIA HOMEPAGE | WEEKLY NEWS
PeaceLink 1998 - Reproduction authorised, with usual acknowledgement