A case study of a youthful population

UGANDA
Table 1.
Ugandas age-sex structure:
% of population
0-14 years
51.08%
15-64 years
46.78%
65 years and over 2.14%

male
6,150,038
5,613,499
244,216

female
6,100,880
5,607,526
269,553

Table 1 shows that over 50% of Ugandas population is under 15 years of age. The dependency ratio
has increased significantly over the years from 100 in 1969 to 122 in 1995. This trend can be
explained by i) a very high fertility rate (7.1 children per woman in 1991) and ii) a very low
contraceptive prevalence rate 16%.
The two population pyramids show a
significant increase in population
between 1970 and 2001. The population
has always had a large % of the
population under 15, however Ugandas
population has now become significantly
youthful (50%+ under 15) as reflected in
the steep concave sides of the population
pyramid.
Demographic
Characteristic
Crude BR
Crude DR
Total Fertility Rate
Infant Mortality Rate
Dependency

1970

2001

50
19
7.1
120
100

47.52
17.97
6.88
91.3
113

The country does have a high incidence

of aids, which results in excess mortality
and lower life expectancy rates than
otherwise would be expected.

The reproductive behaviour of individual families influences the nations population as a whole and
the impact of population size, growth and structure is felt in the level of welfare of individuals and
the family. To a great extent what families do is determined by their income earning and knowledge,
factors that are not necessarily completely in their control. The high fertility rate and youthful age
structure in Uganda has resulted in the build up of a population momentum. Even if fertility were to
drop drastically to replacement levels, the population of Uganda would still continue to grow for at
least 40-50 years. This has far reaching implications for the development of the individual within the
family and the nation as a whole, particularly considering its low level of development and
technology.

Socio-economic and environmental implications of Ugandas Youthful Population

Ugandas youthful population has presented its government, economy and society with a number of
problems and opportunities as summarised below:
i)

Family Welfare
health of mothers and children is adversely affected by high fertility;
early child-bearing has a number of socio-economic and health consequences
teenage pregnancies increases the number of young mothers who lack material
resources to support their children can affect the initial development and growth of
their children.
encourages school drop-out which then acts as a barrier to the educational and career
advancement of women and their future independence.
exposure to aids is increased with early pregnancies.

ii)

Increased demand for Health services

Demand for health services is rising due to high fertility (and increased further by the recent AIDS
epidemic) but the health infrastructure is insufficient to cope with this and is characterised by
uneven distribution and poor access to facilities and low per capita expenditure.

iii)

Increased demand for education services

the government has set itself to achieve universal primary education by 2003 but the high birth
rate may hinder this. The population of primary school age is expected to grow from 3.3 million
(1991) to 7.2 million by 2021. Much larger expenditures will be needed to pay for an increasing
number of teachers, classrooms and materials and equipment.

iv)

Labour force and employment

the youthful population accounts for a substantial expansion of the labour force, which is mainly
engaged in agriculture and the informal sector. The potential labour force is expected to double
between 1991-2021 to reach 16.8million. Very few employment opportunities can be generated in

the formal sector and these limited opportunities for growth in the economy increase problems of
unemployment, underemployment, rural-urban migration and crime.
v)

Urbanisation and Housing / Related Services.

Housing is a basic human need and has implications for health and productivity of a population.
Rapid increase in population has not been matched by the growth and development in basic
physical infrastructure and the provision of adequate housing and social amenities is not keeping
pace with demand. Outcomes include over-crowding, growth of slums and deterioration. Very
low numbers have access to electricity and safe drinking water and pit latrines are the dominant
form of toilet facility.

vi)

Demand for Social Security

although the proportion of elderly is fairly low, the youthful population and its associated
problems, such as unemployed and general poverty result in high dependency. There is no
comprehensive social security policy and individual household have to become responsible.

vii)

Demand for Environmental Resources.

The following are all environmental challenges that Uganda faces: high population growth is resulting in degradation of the environment
increasing land fragmentation and decrease in soil fertility causing crop yields to fall
increasing use of marginal lands which cant support agriculture sustainably
depletion of wetlands to expand agricultural lands and forest depletion to gain land use firewood
for fuel.