KAMPALA, UGANDA: A new report by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has put Uganda’s population growth rate as the second youngest in the world, with Niger in Western Africa leading the charts.
According to findings, Uganda boasts of a young population with a median age of 15.9 and is the second youngest population (48% below 15 years) while Niger in the first place is at 50% of her entire population.
The report also shows that the current population at 41.58million with growing at a rate of 3.0% and is estimated to reach 69.75 million people by 2030.
According to experts, the population of young people in Uganda (76 per cent of the population 30 years and below, represents 31.6 million people) is seen as an opportunity that can be harnessed into a demographic dividend if the right investments in education, health, skilling and job creation, complemented by good governance and accountability for improved service delivery.
In the last two decades, Uganda has registered a marked decline in infant and child mortality, maternal mortality and fertility. However, this decline has been gradual leading to the first stage of demographic transition but not rapid enough to spur a demographic window of opportunity.
Mr Joseph Tumuboine, a media analyst in the Office of the National Chairman says the youthful population growth has been due to the economic and political stability created by the ruling NRM Government under the stewardship of President Yoweri Museveni.
Under his 37 years in power, H.E Museveni has ensured that every homestead has a steady income source through a wide range of poverty alleviation programmes implemented over time, such as Bonna Baggawale, Emyooga, Parish Development Model, and Operation Wealth Creation, among others.
Report by UNFPA Uganda
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