Demographic dividend in West and Central Africa: 2017 progress report

The United Nations Population Fund West and Central Africa Regional Office (UNFPA WCARO), in collaboration with the African Group of Ambassadors in Dakar, is to present its 2017 progress report on the state of the demographic dividend. The Demographic Dividend in West and Central Africa: 2017 Progress Report outlines the interventions of UNFPA WCARO and its partners throughout the year in the 23 countries of the West and Central Africa region. The presentation will also discuss the demographic prospects and challenges predicted for 2018. In 2017, UNFPA was at the forefront of making the demographic dividend a regional priority, partnering with the African Union, which itself had as its annual theme: Harnessing the Demographic Dividend through Investing in Youth. As a roadmap, the theme led to a series of initiatives on the continent, from the mobilization of faith-based actors to African First Ladies and journalists, as well as a wide range of activities carried out by UNFPA’s different country offices.