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Demographic dividend refers to a period – usually 20 to 30 years – when fertility rates fall due to significant reductions in child and infant mortality rates. As women and families realize that fewer children will die during infancy or childhood, they will begin to have fewer children to reach their desired number of offspring, further reducing the proportion of non-productive dependents. This fall is often accompanied by an extension in average life expectancy that increases the portion of the population that is in the working age-group. This cuts spending on dependents and spurs economic growth. Demographic dividend, as defined by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) means, “the economic growth potential that can result from shifts in a population’s age structure, mainly when the share of the working-age population (15 to 64) is larger than the non-working-age share of the population (14 and younger, and 65 and older).” 〔http://www.unfpa.org/demographic-dividend〕 In other words, it is “a boost in economic productivity that occurs when there are growing numbers of people in the workforce relative to the number of dependents.” 〔http://www.unfpa.org/demographic-dividend〕 UNFPA stated that, “A country with both increasing numbers of young people and declining fertility has the potential to reap a demographic dividend. 〔http://www.unfpa.org/demographic-dividend〕 Due to the dividend between young and old, many argue that there is a great potential for economic gains. In order for economic growth to occur the younger population must have access to quality education, adequate nutrition and health including access to sexual and reproductive health. However, this drop in fertility rates is not immediate. The lag between produces a generational population bulge that surges through society. For a period of time this “bulge” is a burden on society and increases the dependency ratio. Eventually this group begins to enter the productive labor force. With fertility rates continuing to fall and older generations having shorter life expectancies, the dependency ratio declines dramatically. This demographic shift initiates the demographic dividend. With fewer younger dependents, due to declining fertility and child mortality rates, and fewer older dependents, due to the older generations having shorter life expectancies, and the largest segment of the population of productive working age, the dependency ratio declines dramatically leading to the demographic dividend. Combined with effective public policies this time period of the demographic dividend can help facilitate more rapid economic growth and puts less strain on families. This is also a time period when many women enter the labor force for the first time.〔http://www.economist.com/node/21533364〕 In many countries this time period has led to increasingly smaller families, rising income, and rising life expectancy rates.〔http://www.economist.com/node/21533364〕 However, dramatic social changes can also occur during this time, such as increasing divorce rates, postponement of marriage, and single-person households.〔http://www.economist.com/node/21533364〕 ==Statistical Overview== Approximately 1.8 billion people between 10 and 24 years old exist in the world today; the highest total number of young people than ever before.〔http://www.unfpa.org/demographic-dividend〕 According to the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), this number is expected to increase until 2070.〔http://www.unfpa.org/demographic-dividend〕 Much of the increase has derived from the least developed countries who have experienced rapid and large growth in their youth populations. Within least developed countries’ populations roughly 60% are under 24 years old.〔http://www.unfpa.org/demographic-dividend〕 The large proportion of young people in least developed countries creates an opportunity to realize a demographic dividend. However, this realization comes with challenges. UNFPA stated that,〔http://www.unfpa.org/demographic-dividend〕 “By the middle of this century, the population of the least developed countries will have doubled in size, adding 14 million young people to the working-age population each year. Creating conditions for decent livelihoods will be an enormous task, especially given that, currently, about 80 per cent of the people who work in these countries are unemployed, underemployed or irregularly employed. Additionally, the shortage of financial resources will make it difficult to maintain, let alone increase, spending on health, education and nutrition.” Therefore, in order to reap the benefits of a demographic dividend, countries must recognize and cultivate the potential of young people and close the gap between the demands placed on young people and the opportunities provided to them.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=State of the World Population 2014 )〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Demographic dividend」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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