Incluye bibliografía

Foreword -- Abstract -- Acknowledgments -- Executive summary -- 1. Introduction -- 2. What policies can lower the demand for children? -- 3. Female schooling -- 4. Child health -- 5. Laws affecting women's status and incentives for childbearing -- 6. Family planning -- 7. Conclusion -- Annex A. Supplemental tables on family planning policies -- Annex B. Supplemental tables on education policies -- Annex C. Supplemental tables on health policies -- Annex D. Thresholds for country rankings by policies -- Bibliography -- List of tables: Text tables -- Annex tables

The population of sub-Saharan Africa is growing at 3.2 percent per year, the result of declining death rates and high fertility of 6 to 7 children per woman. At this rate of growth, the population will double in 22 years. Rapid population growth strains the region ' s capacity to raise per capita incomes and average levels of welfare. To slow population growth, many governments have already enacted policies that will lower fertility and increase contraceptive use. However, the high fertility rates found in sub-Saharan Africa also reflect a high demand for children. For contraceptive use to rise and fertility to decline, the demand for children must also fall. This paper assesses government policies in four areas that will lower fertility and raise contraceptive use - girls schooling, child health, women ' s legal status, and family planning services. Information is presented for twelve sub-Saharan countries in which Demographic and Health Surveys or Living Standards Measurement Surveys have been conducted in the last decade.