Ethiopia urged to strengthen efforts towards harnessing Demographic Dividend

Addis Ababa, April 3, 2021 (FBC) -A new study demonstrated that a moderate level of effort being devoted towards creating an enabling environment that would allow Ethiopia to harness the benefits of the Demographic Dividend (DD) should be strengthened.

The study conducted by Gates Institute of the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health in collaboration with the Ethiopian Academy of Sciences (EAS) has produced a report entitled Ethiopia’s Demographic Dividend Effort Index (DDEI).

The study also has shown the strength of national efforts towards reaping the demographic dividend benefits for inclusive and sustainable development that will facilitate the learning process.

The study focuses on the six sectors identified as being integral to the creation of a favorable environment for the DD namely Family Planning, Maternal and Child Health, Education, Women’s Empowerment, Labor Market, and Governance and Economic Institutions, it was indicated.

According to the study, the country’s moderate levels of effort are seen in the Maternal and Child Health followed by Family Planning, Education, Labor Market and then Governance and Economic Institutions sectors consecutively.

On the other hand, the study identified that moderate to less-than-moderate levels of efforts are being exerted in the Women Empowerment sector.

Implementing sound macroeconomic and fiscal policies that expand the demand for labor are essential to improve the investment climate, ensure employment generation and absorb the increasing workforce, especially young female workers, the study advised.

The study finding has also stressed the need to strengthen coordination among government, civil society, and communities to promote efficient use of available resources for Family Planning programs.

The study report was disseminated at a virtual event to policymakers, implementing agencies, researchers, and other stakeholders including governmental and non-governmental institutions on Friday, according to the Ethiopian Academy of Sciences.

The demographic dividend is the accelerated economic growth that may result from a decline in a country’s birth and death rates and the subsequent change in the age structure of the population, according to ENA.