Changing Perspectives of Population in Africa and International Responses

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Periodical article

Title:	Changing Perspectives of Population in Africa and International Responses
Author:	Sai, Fred T.
Year:	1988
Periodical:	African Affairs: The Journal of the Royal African Society
Volume:	87
Issue:	347
Period:	April
Pages:	267-276
Language:	English
Geographic term:	Africa
Subjects:	population policy family planning Miscellaneous (i.e. Demography, Refugees, Sports)
External link:	https://www.jstor.org/stable/722403
Abstract:	Until recently many would have said that Africa was a vast continent, sparsely populated, where overpopulation was not a problem. It was only around the mid-1950s that people started considering demographic and family planning issues as of relevance in the African development context. From the mid-1960s onwards, nongovernmental organizations kept up the effort in Africa and small family planning associations started to spring up. Most governments, at this time, were not at all interested in family planning or population. Between 1974 and 1984, African perceptions of population issues underwent what one may describe as a dramatic change. Today's situation is one where the majority of policy people have accepted the need for changes in population policy but now need the resources to translate these policies into practice. There are opportunities for Africa to get more funds from the international community provided that the programme planners and implementors do a lot more homework and get the programme on the road.