Population trends and demographic problems in Africa with special reference to unemployment.

Abstract

This paper examines unemployment as it relates to rural-urban migration and also examines the gap between job expectation and job reality in Kenya. The author links changes in the laborforce to population increase and says that by the year 2000, the number of people in the laborforce is expected to increase 170%. With that rise, there will also be an increase in the number of dependents needing care. Rural-urban migration poses the largest threat to unemployment. Urban population, in the year 2000 is expected to be 4.2 times that of 1970. 66 cities in Africa have already reached the 100,000 plus population mark in a 20 year period. Urban unemployment ranges from 10-25%. Because of low availability of investment capital and low level domestic savings, the African economy has been unable to provide jobs. Another major cause of unemployment is the development of schools whose curricula is unrelated to Africa's needs. While more people are educated, no job opportunities exist for them. Population policy in respect to redistribution of the population must clearly be a priority. This means development of rural areas to ease urban pressure, programs in which new economic growth regions would provide jobs for people, and concentration on labor intensive rather than capital intensive industries. African nations must also develop plans for economic development, family planning, education, health, nutrition and recreation.