Sub-national Estimates of Human Capital Indicators: Localizing Investments for the Demographic Dividend

Declining fertility in many countries of Africa and Asia combined with a growing proportion of people of working age is opening potential for a demographic dividend in many countries. A demographic dividend is defined as the economic benefit that can arise when a population has a relatively large proportion of working age people coupled with a history of effective human capital investment. Adopting the Global Agenda Council policy framework on achieving a demographic dividend, this research has developed a method for measuring human capital needs at the national and sub-national level by using a “demographic dividend index”. By mapping the dependency ratios and human capital indicators of the districts of Nepal, this paper illustrates an innovative descriptive method for showing policy makers the priority geographic areas for investments that will maximize prospects for a demographic dividend. Besides the identification of priority districts using the index, the research visualizes the spatial distribution of each indicator, as well as further disaggregates the indicators by urban/rural and gender. This disaggregated data are helpful in identifying the key issues within districts, as well as reducing urban/rural and gender inequality in each district level. The findings provide important insights pertaining to place of residence and gender issues

Gendered Patterns of Migration in Rural South Africa

Gender is increasingly recognised as fundamental to understanding migration processes, causes, and consequences. In South Africa, it is intrinsic to the social transformations fueling high levels of internal migration and complex forms of mobility. Although female migration in Africa has often been characterised as less prevalent than male migration and primarily related to marriage, in South Africa, a feminisation of internal migration is underway, fueled by women's increasing labour market participation. In this paper, we report sex differences in patterns, trends, and determinants of internal migration based on data collected in a demographic surveillance system between 2001 and 2006 in rural KwaZulu‐Natal. We show that women were somewhat more likely than men to undertake any migration, but sex differences in migration trends differed by migration flow, with women more likely to migrate into the area than men and men more likely to out‐migrate. Out‐migration was suppressed by marriage, particularly for women, but most women were not married; both men's and women's out‐migrations were undertaken mainly for purposes of employment. Over half of female out‐migrations (vs 35% of male out‐migrations) were to nearby rural areas. The findings highlight the high mobility of this population and the extent to which gender is intimately related to the processes determining migration. We consider the implications of these findings for the measurement of migration and mobility, in particular for health and social policy and research among highly mobile populations in southern Africa. © 2013 The Authors. Population, Space and Place published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd

Who is utilizing anti-retroviral therapy in Ghana: An analysis of ART service utilization

Abstract Introduction The global scale-up of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for HIV patients has led to concerns regarding inequities in utilization of ART services in resource-limited contexts. In this paper, we describe regional and sex differentials in the distribution of ART among adult HIV patients in Ghana. We highlight the need for interventions to address the gender-based and geographic inequities related to the utilization of ART services in Ghana. Methods We reviewed National AIDS/STIs Control Program’s ART service provision records from January 2003 through December 2010, extracting data on adults aged 15+ who initiated ART in Ghana over a period of eight years. Data on the number of patients on treatment, year of enrollment, sex, and region were obtained and compared. Results The number of HIV patients receiving ART in Ghana increased more than 200-fold from 197 in 2003, to over 45,000 in 2010. However, for each of six continuous years (2005-2010) males comprised approximately one-third of adults newly enrolled on ART. As ART coverage has expanded in Ghana, the proportion of males receiving ART declined from 41.7% in 2004 to 30.1% in 2008 and to 27.6% in 2010. Also, there is disproportionate regional ART utilization across the country. Some regions report ART enrollment lower than their percent share of number of HIV infected persons in the country. Conclusions Attention to the comparatively fewer males initiating ART, as well as disproportionate regional ART utilization is urgently needed. All forms of gender-based inequities in relation to HIV care must be addressed in order for Ghana to realize successful outcomes at the population level. Policy makers in Ghana and elsewhere need to understand how gender-based health inequities in relation to HIV care affect both men and women and begin to design appropriate interventions.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/112797/1/12939_2011_Article_285.pd

UNFPA Strategy for the 2020 round of population and housing censuses (2015-2024)

The 2020 census round (2015-2024), is being implemented in a changing context, marked by widespread adoption of new technologies, increasing demands for disaggregated data for implementation of SDGs, capacity challenges in many national statistics offices, funding challenges, as well as conflict and unrest which are affecting census coverage in many countries. This article details the UNFPA strategy to ensure that everyone is counted, and accounted for, in the 2020 census round. The strategy responds to the changing contexts and builds on lessons learned in previous rounds. Within this framework, UNFPA provides technical and operational support (tools and capacity strengthening); promotes adoption of new and innovative technologies and methodologies; advocates for wider utilization of census data, including free and open access to data while ensuring confidentiality; leverages institutional partnerships at all levels for coordinated census support; strengthens resource mobilization, and advocates for the inclusion of questions on disability and migration to support efforts to leave no one behind

Understanding How Juveniles Become Human Traffickers

Modern-day slavery, also known as human trafficking, exists and grows worldwide, exploiting people for their physical and sexual labor (Banks & Kyckelhahn, 2011). Though media sources and legal changes have increased awareness about the issue of human trafficking, there is still a great void of research about the population of traffickers and perpetrators, especially a particularly concerning population: youth traffickers (Blank, Troshynski, 2007). Youth perpetrators have an easier time recruiting minors into human trafficking because they appear more trustworthy. However, little to no research is available to explain the histories and characteristics of this phenomenon regarding youth perpetrators. Therefore, we will seek to begin answering the following research question: What are the experiences of youth perpetrators? Researchers will use a qualitative, exploratory research design and a non-probable snowball sampling method to examine the experiences of current perpetrators who trafficked while they were minors. Using a semi-structured, in-depth interview, researchers will triangulate data from audio transcripts and copious field notes. The interviews with traffickers will be completed with phenomenological interviewing. The data will be analyzed using grounded theory methodology in which the researchers will work through multiple stages of coding with an outside coder to increase believability and trustworthiness. The researchers will also conduct data analysis with a limited number of traffickers to expand the study’s believability. We expect to find coding trends and theories related to the childhood experiences of this population and their life outcomes. The findings of this research will assist in working against the recruitment of additional minors to human trafficking. The goal of this research is to increase a general understanding of the experiences of youth traffickers and perpetrators, as well as encouraging others to engage in more quality research opportunities about trafficking as a whole

Gender Attitudes and Fertility Aspirations among Young Men in Five High Fertility East African Countries

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/97275/1/j.1728-4465.2013.00341.x.pd

The social meaning of infertility in Southwest Nigeria

There has been very little documentation of the social meaning given to infertility in many developing countries, including Nigeria, where the prevalence of infertility is known to be high. We have conducted a number of qualitative studies aimed at exploring socio-cultural issues associated with infertility in Ile-Ife, Southwestern Nigeria. Twenty-five focus-group discussions were held with knowledgeable persons in the rural and urban parts of the community to ascertain their attitudes towards infertility. The results show that community members accord great significance to child-bearing, but, they have incorrect knowledge of the causes and appropriate treatment of infertility. Focus-group participants mentioned several traditional beliefs regarding the causes of infertility from which they derived a variety of traditional and religious methods for its treatment; many affected couples use these methods of treatment, sometimes singly but most often in combination. Orthodox treatments are less often used because of perceptions of the causes of infertility and lack of confidentiality at the treatment centres. Women are more likely to suffer the social consequences of infertility; they suffer physical and mental abuse, neglect, abandonment, economic deprivation and social ostracism as a result of their infertile status. These findings have profound implications for reproductive health and reproductive rights of women in the area. Measures recommended to ameliorate the adverse consequences of infertility in the community include provision of broad reproductive health education and appropriate services; integration of infertility treatment and prevention into primary health care and the traditional system of health care delivery; and programs aimed at the empowerment of women in the area

Prevalence of the metabolic syndrome in a rural population in Ghana

Abstract Background The Metabolic syndrome (MS) which is a constellation of cardiometabolic risk factors including dyslipidaemia, hypertension, hyperglycaemia, central obesity, and endothelial dysfunction was hitherto relatively uncommon among Africans south of the Sahara. This study seeks to determine the prevalence of MS, its components and risk factors among a rural population in Ghana based on two popular international algorithms. Methods This was a cross-sectional survey of a rural population in Ghana conducted between November and December, 2007. Two hundred and twenty-eight (228) settler farmers, families and staff associated with the GOPDC Ltd, between the ages of 35 and 64 years, were randomly selected for the study; pregnant women were excluded. The prevalence of MS was estimated using the IDF and ATPIII criteria. Results The final subject pool included 102 males, and 104 females. The mean age of all subjects was 44.4 ± 6.9 years. The overall prevalence of MS by the IDF and ATPIII criteria were 35.9% and 15.0%, respectively, but there was an alarming female preponderance by both criteria {IDF: males = 15.7%, females =55.8%; ATPIII: males = 5.9%, females = 24.0%; sex differences p<0.001 for both criteria}. The most important determinants for IDF-defined MS were central obesity (55.3%), low High Density Lipoprotein (42.7%) and high Blood Pressure (39.5%). Conclusion The triad of central obesity, high blood pressure and low HDL were most responsible for the syndrome in this rural population.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/112461/1/12902_2012_Article_148.pd

Factors associated with repeated refusal to participate in longitudinal population-based HIV surveillance in rural South Africa: an observational study, regression analyses

Background: For many estimation purposes, individuals who repeatedly refuse to participate in longitudinal HIV surveillance pose a bigger threat to valid inferences than individuals who participate at least occasionally. We investigate the determinants of repeated refusal to consent to HIV testing in a population-based longitudinal surveillance in rural South Africa. Methods: We used data from two years (2005 & 2006) of the annual HIV surveillance conducted by the Africa Centre for Health and Population Studies, linking the HIV surveillance data to demographic and socioeconomic data. The outcome for the analysis was “repeated refusal”. Demographic variables included sex, age, highest educational attainment, and place of residence. We also included a measure of wealth and the variable “ever had sex”. To compare the association of each variable with the outcome, unadjusted odds ratios and standard errors were estimated. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate adjusted odds ratios and their standard errors. Data were analyzed using STATA 10.0. Results: Of 15,557 eligible individuals, 46% refused to test for HIV in both rounds. Males were significantly more likely than females to repeatedly refuse testing. Holding all other variables constant, individuals in the middle age groups were more likely to repeatedly refuse testing compared with younger and older age groups. The odds of repeated refusal increased with increasing level of education and relative wealth. People living in urban areas were significantly more likely to repeatedly refuse an HIV test than people living in peri-urban or rural areas. Compared to those who had ever had sex, both males and females who had not yet had sex were significantly more likely to refuse to participate. Conclusions: The likelihood of repeated refusal to test for HIV in this longitudinal surveillance increases with education, wealth, urbanization, and primary sexual abstinence. Since the factors determining repeated HIV testing refusal are likely associated with HIV status, it is critical that selection effects are controlled for in the analysis of HIV surveillance data. Interventions to increase consent to HIV testing should consider targeting the relatively well educated and wealthy, people in urban areas, and individuals who have not yet sexually debuted