Children, Adolescents, Youth and the Demographic Dividend
摘要
This chapter focuses on the changing structure of Ghana’s population focusing on children, adolescents and children as it relates to the demographic dividend. The analysis highlights Ghana’s steady shift from a broad-based population pyramid to one of a youth bulge that positions the country towards the attainment of a demographic dividend. It further examines the key differences and similarities among children, adolescents and youth pertaining to literacy and education, marital status, employment and economic activities and information, communication and information technology at the national level, type of place of residence and region of residence, to inform relevant policy decisions. Regional and gender differences in the characteristics of children, adolescents and youth abound. While literacy is relatively higher among children and adolescents, female youth are more disadvantaged. Childbearing among adolescent girls 15–19 years has also increased from 13.3% to 15.2% between 2014 and 2022 which constrains their education, resulting in school dropouts among young females. To fully benefit from the youth bulge, Ghana must strategically invest in education, technology, and entrepreneurship to empower its young population and support long-term socio-economic growth.