By Edoamaowo Udeme
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in collaboration with Nigerian Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs, will host a two-day consultative forum with about 200 Islamic religious leaders from across the country in Abuja September 2018.
According to Kori Habib, UNFPA Media Associate, in a press release in Abuja, the event will be graced by the West and Central Africa Regional Director of UNFPA, Mr Mabingue Ngom, and will have the theme “Harnessing Demographic Dividend (DD) for Sustainable Development of Nigeria: The Role of Muslim Religious Leaders”.
“The objective of the forum is to enhance the capacity of Muslim religious leaders to advocate for policies and programmes towards harnessing DD in Nigeria”
“This is a first national consultation with Faith Based Organisation (FBO), cultural and traditional leaders on their role in the process of harnessing the DD in Nigeria as recommended by the guiding principles of the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Programme of Action (PoA)”. She stressed
“The discussion will focus on the theme: Increasing Access to Reproductive Health Services as a key Pillar for Achieving Demographic Dividend (DD) in Nigeria”
“With the working-age population (15 to 64) larger than the non-working-age (14 and younger, and 65 and older), the forum will address issues of Gender inequality, youth and women empowerment, maternal health, child spacing and fertility transition which influences the population structure.”. She noted
Habib noted that demographic dividend will serve as “a boost in economic productivity that occurs when there are growing numbers of people in the workforce relative to the number of dependents”.
“A country with both increasing numbers of young people and declining fertility has the potential to reap demographic dividend”.
The meeting will also focus on the attainment of demographic transition and DD demand a reduction in maternal and infant mortality as well as reduction in fertility rates and in particular of Africa’s young people and it requires taking into account the interplay between customs, tradition, culture and religious beliefs of the people.
“Arousing the consciousness and strong commitment of Muslim religious leaders and Faith Based Organisation toward harnessing DD becomes very pivotal, in view of the fact that they are legitimate actors in the quest for attitudinal change to achieve the desired development and transformation”. Habib added
“Sensitization of traditional, cultural and religious gatekeepers in achieving success of the various DD related projects can therefore not over emphasized”.
“As the most populous country in Africa and the 7th most populous country in the world with an estimated population of 188 million in 2017, the major cause for concern is that the larger chunk of Nigeria’s population is made up of young person’s which further increased the dependency ratio”.
A well implemented road map to harness demographic dividend will therefore accelerate changes in the population age structure, such that there will be growing numbers of people in the workforce population relative to the number of dependents.
