Harnessing a demographic dividend for equitable, sustainable and environment-friendly growth from a gender perspective

Jose Miguel GuzmanICF

josemiguel.guzman@icf.com

Intersessional Expert Meeting on the full enjoyment of human rights by all women and girls and the systematic mainstreaming of a gender perspective into the implementation of the 2030 Agenda

2-3 May, OHCHR, Palais des Nations, Geneva

What is the demographic dividend

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• What happens as a result of a sustained decline in fertility and the subsequent decrease of the size and weight of the young population and increase in the working age population. So the dependency ratio decrease.

• Provides an opportunity for smarter economic and social investments (human capital) and increased countries' output and the possibility for long-term development.

• The demographic dividend is not a given. It is an windows of opportunity. Requires the right policies.

What is the demographic dividend

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1950

1960

1970

1980

1990

2000

2010

2020

2030

2040

2050

2060

2070

2080

2090

2100

0.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

50.0

60.0

70.0

80.0

90.0

100.0

Total Dependency Ratio

Nigeria Brazil

United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2017)

What is the demographic dividend

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1950

1960

1970

1980

1990

2000

2010

2020

2030

2040

2050

2060

2070

2080

2090

2100

0.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

50.0

60.0

70.0

80.0

90.0

100.0

Total Dependency Ratio

Nigeria Brazil

United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2017)

What is the demographic dividend

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20.0

30.0

40.0

50.0

60.0

70.0

80.0Working age population 15-64

Nigeria Brazil

Harnessing a Demographic DividendThe 3 E’s Framework

Source: World Economic Forum: Harnessing The Opportunity Of The Demographic Dividend. Publication by the Global Agenda Council on the Demographic Dividend., 2015. 6

Empowerment

Education

Employment

The 3 E’s Framework for Harnessing a Demographic Dividend Areas for intervention: some examples

Source: World Economic Forum: Harnessing The Opportunity Of The Demographic Dividend. Publication by the Global Agenda Council on the Demographic Dividend., 2015. 7

Empowerment (Goal 3, 5, 6,10,16)

• Gender equality at all levels• Early marriage and

childbearing• Female genital cutting• Violence against women

and girls• Health• Sexual and reproductive

and family planning

Education: (Goal 4 )• Access and equal

opportunities for education for girls and boys

• Access to sexual education

• Increased investments in education to complete coverage and increase quality

Employment (Goal 8, 11)• Employment/labor opportunities for young people,

including contexts of rapid urban growth • Labor and trade policies

• Climate change and its consequences can undermine the conditions for harnessing a demographic dividend.• Best scenario: more consumers– Investing in the green economy

• Example of Bangladesh–Fertility decline –More women employment–Environmental degradation

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Harnessing the demographic dividendPolicy implementation: sustainability, and gender

• Rapid and unplanned urbanization• Skilled migration• In situation of crisis and conflicts:

– Instability in the economy: low incentives for investments affects employment creation, particularly for young people

– Focus in solving daily crisis: lack of long-term vision needed to generate a demographic dividend and reap the benefits of it.

– Disruption of school cycles: low incentives for girls/boys to attend school.

– Less opportunities for gender sensitive policies and increased risks for gender-based violence

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Harnessing the demographic dividendPolicy implementation: Challenges, with emphasis in poorest countries

• Opportunity is coming for demographic dividend in many countries, particularly Africa. If well planned it can have positive impacts on development, sustainability and gender equality.

• Requires a long-term vision and a national commitment,

• There is no possibility of harnessing the DD without a strong on gender equality, women and girls empowerment and its synergies with the other two set of policies

• But it is not only about creating employment opportunities for young people; it is about quality employment that allows for growth and sustainability

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Harnessing the demographic dividendSome conclusions

THANKS!

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