New population questions, new directions and strategies

Abstract

Africa1 is going through serious economic and social problems at the same time as it is grappling with ah unprecedented population growth whose effects were yet again underlined recently by the Secretary General of the United Nations himself2 in his Agenda for Peace. It is proper to recall the problems of overly rapid urbanization, unbalanced population distribution, the growing gap between the rich and the poor, the widespread failure to meet basic needs in health, employment, education and housing, added to which there are natural or man-made disasters. Africa's economic performance, falls far short of meeting these challenges, leaves little scope for optimism and augurs even worse for the future. Structural adjustment programmes require sacrifices which affect the most vulnerable groups and austerity measures which drastically reduce the financial and operational assistance which can be made available to such social sectors as education and health.