Shift to Smaller Families
Can Bring Economic Benefits


Jorgen Schytte/ Still Pictures

Between now and 2010, 700 million young people will enter the labour force in developing countries. If they find productive work, there will be a "demographic bonus" facilitating development. Success depends on adequate investments in health care, education and job creation. Above, job trainingcentre in Bangladesh.

"Peers Teach Others,
'We Can Become Anything
We Want to Be'"


UNICEF/ 93- 1882/ Shams- uz- Zaman

The State of World Population 1998 report points out that family life education programmes have proved effective, in diverse cultural settings throughout the world, in teaching young people about responsible sexual behaviour. Above, student in Bangladesh.

"Era of Rapid Population Growth
Is Not Over"


Mark Edwards/ Still Pictures

Young mother and her children in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Although the average age of marriage is increasing worldwide, millions of women still begin childbearing in their teens. Encouraging later childbearing and more education is one way to slow the "population momentum" resulting from the unprecedented numbers of young people who will reach adulthood in the coming decades.

"Era of Rapid Population Growth
Is Not Over"


Julio Etchart/ Still Pictures

In the years ahead, families will have more older members, notes The State of World Population 1998 report, and many will have both older and younger dependants at the same time. Above, family members in China's Yunnan Province.