Call for papers

HUMAN FERTILITY IN AFRICA Trends in the last decade and prospects for change

Accra, Ghana, 16-18 September 2008

Organized by the IUSSP Panel on Population Growth and Human Welfare in Africa,
in collaboration with the Regional Institute of Population Studies (RIPS)
at the University of Ghana, Legon

The IUSSP panel on Population Growth and Human Welfare in Africa is pleased to invite you to submit papers for a three-day seminar to be held in Accra, Ghana, 16-18 September 2008. This seminar will draw together evidence on the fertility situation in Africa during the last decade and future prospects for fertility reduction in the next two decades. It will also provide the opportunity for the young scientists involved in the Panel’s research capacity strengthening activities to present their work. Papers are invited that address the following:

a) Fertility levels and trends by geographical region, including intra-national decompositions, and explanations for differences
b) Changes in micro and macro-level determinants of fertility
c) Explanations for high desired and actual fertility
d) Linkages between levels of mortality and fertility preferences and outcomes
e) Explanations for plateauing of fertility in Ghana and Kenya
f) Prospects for fertility decline in the next twenty years
g) Analyses of the United Nations population projections and the likelihood of realizing their assumptions
h) What should African Governments do to speed up the decline in fertility in the region?

Background:
On average, an African woman in Sub-Saharan Africa has five children in her lifetime, which is higher than the average for any other region in the world. In some countries such as Mali, Guinea-Bissau and Niger, total fertility is above seven children per woman and in at least another ten countries, including Somalia, Rwanda and Uganda, the average fertility is more than six children. Early marriage, high desired family size, and low contraceptive use are among the major reasons for sustained high fertility in Africa. In addition, low levels of development, low female education and the population and reproductive health policies in sub-Saharan have an influence on the proximate determinants of fertility.

Over the past ten years, there has been evidence that some African countries have begun to experience the fertility transition. Notably, total fertility has fallen in South Africa, Botswana, and Zimbabwe, with women there having an average of between 2-4 children over their lifetime. However, evidence from the most recent demographic and health surveys shows that in some countries where fertility had started to fall (for example Kenya and Ghana), the decline appears to have stalled. Explanations for these reversals are not clear.

Within countries, large differentials in fertility by sub-region and socioeconomic status exist. For example, Addis Ababa has achieved below replacement fertility (of 2 children per woman) while surrounding regions have fertility in excess of five children per woman. These differentials highlight the importance of bringing together regional, national, and sub-national evidence of the trends and the determinants of fertility so that policies and programmes for addressing high fertility in Africa are based on sound evidence.

Seminar details:
The seminar will invite scholars and other analysts to present empirical evidence of the fertility situation in Africa during the last decade and future scenarios describing prospects for fertility reduction in the next two decades. Research should advance knowledge in significant ways beyond the standard literature, and offer insights about population trends and their implications for the work of policy-makers and planners.

The panel will approach relevant journals to request publication of high quality papers from the seminar in one issue or as a supplement. Full papers will also be available as proceedings of the seminar via the IUSSP website. A policy paper presenting policy-relevant recommendations emerging from the seminar will be produced and broadly disseminated.

How to submit a paper
The IUSSP panel on Population Growth and Human Welfare in Africa invites researchers in the above field to submit a detailed 500-1000 word abstract (and if the author(s) wish, a full paper which must be unpublished) and fill out the online submission form before 30 April 2008. If the paper is co-authored, please indicate the names of co-authors at the end of the abstract. Submission should be made by the author who will attend the seminar.
Applicants will be notified whether their paper has been accepted by 1 June 2008. In the case of acceptance on the basis of an abstract, the completed paper must be uploaded on the IUSSP website by 15 August 2008.
Participants are encouraged to seek their own funding to cover the cost of their participation in the seminar. However, those who need financial assistance from the IUSSP should indicate their need when they submit by ticking the appropriate box on the on-line submission form when submitting paper or abstract.
For further information, please contact Dr. Cheikh Mbacké cmbacke@gmail.com.