POPULATION GROWTH - Niger

Question 1

What is the population and population growth of Niger?

Answer 1

• Will rise to 56 million in 2050.
• Population growth at 3.2%.

Question 2

What are the causes of population growth in Niger?

Answer 2

• Death rate lowered:
  
  • Babies inoculated against diseases.
  • Better diet.
  • Better clinics and schools - less overcrowded. Heath education is therefore better.
• Birth rate high:
  
  • Culture - women expected to have many children. Exacerbated by 27% literacy. Men encourage women to have more children. A survey revealed that on average, men wanted 20, women 12.
  • Polygamy and early marriage - fertility rate increase.
  • Babies needed for labour - an agricultural society. 90% work in agriculture.
  • Only 12% have access to contraceptives. Poor family planning. Rumours due to poor education - contraception believed to cause anaemia.

Question 3

What are the consequences of population growth in Niger?

Answer 3

• Only 1/2 have access to clean water.
• 12,000 children a day die due to diarrhoea.
• 91% do not have access to adequate sanitation.
• Distribution of services poor.
• Economy and services exhausted.
• Congestion and slums.

Question 4

What are the solutions?

Answer 4

• UNFPA and other NGOs create schools for husbands.
• Educate women and religious leaders on importance of contraception.
• Increase contraception. Planned to have increased contraception from 5-20% by 2015.
• Educate women and integrate into workforce.
• Raise marriage age.