YOUTH POPULATION AND POLICIES IN RELATION TO RURAL DEVELOPMENT IN KENYA BY GEORGE OUMA

1. YOUTH POPULATION AND POLICIES IN RELATION TO RURAL DEVELOPMENT IN KENYA BY GEORGE OUMA Brussels Rural Development Briefings

2. ABOUT DSW German Foundation for World Population (DSW) is an international development organization focusing on sustainable development of populations in different parts of the world. DSW Kenya is particularly committed to addressing the sexual and reproductive health (SRH) needs of youth throughout Kenya. Brussels Rural Development Briefings

3. DSW – WESTERN REGION KAKAMEGA DSW – EASTERN REGION EMBU DSW – KENYA COUNTRY OFFICE Brussels Rural Development Briefings DSW – COAST REGION MOMBASA

4. 1.3 DSW AREAS OF CONCERN • ASRH • Youth Club Sponsorship • HIV/AIDS Prevention • Youth Friendly Services • Info – Resource Networks • Advocacy • Capacity Building RH Stakeholders • Poverty Alleviation Brussels Rural Development Briefings

5. WHY THE EMPHASIS ON YOUTH • Africa population are remarkably young on average because for some years birth rates have remained high while life expectancy is still low at 47 years . • The continent ’s population of 967 million is growing at about 2.4 percent per year and was expected to reach 1 billion time in 2009. • Africa ’s population s projected to double in size between 2008 and 2050. • The high population growth rate in conjunction with the declining infant and mortality rates accounts for the largest number of dependent children. • Africa ’s birth rates remain quite high and its population very young, with 43 percent of sub-Saharan Africa ’s population below the age of 15. Brussels Rural Development Briefings

6. Cont. • This has placed a heavy burden on the economically active population since the care of children costs much more than that of the small percentage of old people. • This is important to note because of its implication to socioeconomic development (infrastructure, physical facilities and services are tremendous) demographic consequences and high dependency ratio. Brussels Rural Development Briefings

7. Kenya’s Population. • Kenya’s population was enumerated at 28.7 million (1999), estimated at 37 M in 2007 and was projected to reach 40 million in 2010 at a growth rate of 2.8 • Young people aged 10–24 years makes up about 36 % of the population • Those aged 18 years and below were enumerated at 19 million (66 % of the population) • 60% form the bulk of the human resource Brussels Rural Development Briefings

8. Source: PRB Fact Sheet 2007 Brussels Rural Development Briefings

9. Source: PRB Fact Sheet 2007 Brussels Rural Development Briefings

10. Cont. • Kenya has however shown the decline in the TFR from a high of 8.1 births per woman in 1975-78, to 4.7 in 1995-97, followed by a rise to 4.9 in 2000-02 and a decline to 4.6 for 2006-08 (KDHS 2008). Brussels Rural Development Briefings

11. Cont. Brussels Rural Development Briefings

12. Cont. • The 20-24 year age cohort has the largest absolute difference. The rate among rural women in this age cohort is 280 births per thousand women, compared to an urban rate of 146 births per thousand. Brussels Rural Development Briefings

13. TFR Brussels Rural Development Briefings

14. Population and Development Inter-Linkages Population Factors • Economy • Economic performance • Wealth distribution • Supply and demand • Employment opportunities • Education levels • Income and Poverty levels • Environment • Natural resources availability • Degradation • Waste generation Fertility Morbidity Mortality Migration

15. PRACTICE • Agriculture is the back born of Kenya’s development and is the main source of livelihood for the rural communities . • The 2007 spatial population distribution in Kenya indicates that 41% live in urban areas and 59% in rural reflecting the Africa scenario of the population living predominantly in rural settlements. Although the world is rapidly urbanizing, the number of rural dwellers is still high with only 20% out of total land cover is arable in Kenya. • Kenya is faced with a high dependency burden with about 81% people in the age 0-14 and 65 and above depending on 100 people in the range 15 to 64 years. • The high population growth has put pressure on available resources as the number of young people keeps on rising at a high rate. Brussels Rural Development Briefings

16. POPULATION MOMENTUM AND ITS EFFECT ON YOUTH. Migration and Refugees • Reproduction and migration are a bigger contributor to population explosion in urban centres and uneven distribution in the rural. • Challenges in rural development include: Distribution and marketing agricultural produce, Distribution of farm input, monitor and plan development. Diminishing land size, conflict over land, poor infrastractures (eg road, rail, storage etc) Education • Current population growth and large numbers of children of school going children is a burden to the Kenyan tax payer with large budget.(congestion in schools, few teachers and lack of teaching aid/facilities, low ICT penetration), Large disparity between primary and secondary( 700,000 verses only 300,000 spaces available in sec). Technical schools are weak and inadequate- most youth become unemployable because they lack skills) • Appropriate skills vis a vie labour market • School/ college drop out . Brussels Rural Development Briefings

17. Cont. Unemployment and Underemployment • Only about 25% absorbed into job market the rest the 75% bear the burden of unemployment. • Low jobs and high qualification Health • HIV prevalence at 33% • Poor access to health services – very few YF facilities, unreliable funding mechanisms-leading to periodic shortages • Alcohol and drug abuse • Female genital mutilation and teenage pregnancy –unsafe abortion Brussels Rural Development Briefings

18. Security • Crime - gangs • Deviant behaviour • Abuse and exploitation- political ICT • Limited access to ICT due to unavailability in rural areas and high cost.- Youth cannot exploit career, biasness and education opportunities Brussels Rural Development Briefings

19. Areas to be addressed • Inadequate resources to provide services and spur growth in rural areas • Sustained negative effects of HIV and AIDS • Poverty and its effects • Need to support policies that target vulnerable groups in society (orphans, PWDs, youth, and aged) • Need to reposition FP in today’s changing landscape • Zero Tolerance to corruption Brussels Rural Development Briefings

20. Areas to be addressed ……. Responsive health care systems targeting the woman, the child and youth More investment aimed at youth and women’s empowerment initiatives Public-private sector partnerships Brussels Rural Development Briefings

21. Note • We must appreciate that the impact of reduction in population growth on the improvement of human well being depends upon the way education, health and economic policies are formulated and implemented in a country. Brussels Rural Development Briefings

22. Policy Environment So far GOK and stakeholders have come together to develop the following policies to address challenges; Adolescent Reproductive Health National Gender and Development policy National Youth and Development Policy Population and Development Policy Brussels Rural Development Briefings

23. Cont. • Respective Action Plans for different policies • Youth communication strategy • National HIV/AIDS strategic plan 2009 to 2013 • Millennium development Goals • Vision 2030 Brussels Rural Development Briefings

24. Focus • Africa - Kenya included are faced with population-related challenges, such as the impact of HIV/AIDS on populations in their prime ages of productivity, and the current unprecedented rate of urbanization and its attendant social, economic, and environmental ills. • All these trends will require the development of comprehensive, innovative and integrated strategies to ensure sustainable rural development. Brussels Rural Development Briefings

25. Population and Development Inter-relationships Brussels Rural Development Briefings

26. END THANK YOU Brussels Rural Development Briefings