Mega Sports Events and Community
Health and Wellness:
The Case for Investing
in Youth
PRESENTER:
Dr. Inonge M. Kamungoma-Dada
BSc. HB; MBChB; MA; APR.
UNFPA South Africa.
Email: inonge@unfpa.org.
UNFPA
Outline
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Overview
Youth defined
Youth and Sports development
Demographic Dividend
The Challenges:
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Global context for youth development
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HIV and AIDS
Teenage Pregnancy
Gender Issues
Urbanization
The MDGs
UNFPA
Summary
UNFPA
Overview
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Largest generation of adolescents in history-1.5
billion is preparing to enter adulthood.
More than half of them: 525 million live on less
than 2 dollars a day
More than 100 million do not attend school
15 million adolescent girls become mothers
everyday
Among mothers under the age 20…infant
mortality rate average 100 deaths per 1,000 live
births
UNFPA
What we Know..
“Educational and health status of the youth, their
readiness to take on adult roles and
responsibilities and support received from
families, communities, (including through mega
sports events) and governments, will determine
their future and the future of their countries”,
UNFPA: Investing in adolescents2 health and
rights, State of the World report 2003.
UNFPA
Youth defined
The terms ‘adolescents’, ‘youth’, and ‘young people’ are
used differently in various societies
 Categories are associated with different roles,
responsibilities
 SA National Youth Policy is directed toward young males
and females aged from 14 to 35 years
 Other young age categories in use:
i) Adolescents: 10-19 years of age
ii) Youth: 15-25 years of age
iii) Young people: 10-24 years of age
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UNFPA
Youth and Sports development
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‘There has been a growing understanding of the
role sports can play in changing peoples’ lives
for the better –- and those of young people, in
particular, Kofi Annan, Olympic Aid Forum,
2002.
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Development: adolescent (10-19)
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Peak performance (18-25)
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Retirement (30- 35)
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Skilled labour, savings and investments, employers
UNFPA
Youth and sports development..
Sports are an effective instrument for:
 Building character, tolerance and
friendship
 Delivering and promotion of youth
development: reducing poverty
 Building democracy, conflict resolutions
 Advocacy to young people on HIV and
AIDS, drug abuse and alcoholism etc
UNFPA
Youth and Mega sports events
Adolescence is a critical passage in which
young people gain life experience through
schooling, job training, work experiences,
community activities, youth groups,
relationships and sports .
 The Glitz and Glamour of the FIFA Soccer
World cup allows youth to dream, hope
and achieve!
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UNFPA
‘Demographic Dividend’
The concept of ‘Demographic Dividend’ is rooted
in the Theory of Demographic Transition.
 Demographic transition occurs when a country
has achieved significant decline in its birth and
death rates, from high to low levels
 In the transition process, only two demographic
factors (fertility & mortality) exert influence on
population dynamics
 The population is assumed to be closed to
migration
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UNFPA
Demographic dividend defined
The ‘demographic dividend’ also called ‘demographic gift’ or
‘bonus’ occurs when a falling birth rate changes the age
distribution of a population:
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Fertility decline
Decline in population growth
Decline in the dependency ratio
(ratio of persons under age 15 and over 65 to
those in the economically productive age group 15-65).
As a result:
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Less ‘mouths to feed’
Up surge in labour force or working population aged 15-49yrs relative
to the dependants
If workforce is skilled, and adequate jobs available, there is
potential for workforce to increase income, save, invest and
thus, stimulate economic growth
UNFPA
Demographic Dividend
The ‘demographic dividend’ is delivered through
three main mechanisms:
a) labour supply,
b) savings,
c) human capital.
**However, demographic dividend is not automatic.
Countries need to act to capitalize on it through
appropriate policies and programmes.
N.B. Must seize the ‘gift’ as it is a limited window
of opportunity!
UNFPA
Labour Supply and the Demographic
Dividend
The demographic transition affects labor supply
through:
a) size of the labour force,
b) increase in the labour force participation incl.
women
c) labour productivity.
 Potential labour force is not an effective
labour force
 Much depends on the extent on investments in
education, health, labour force skills and female
participation
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UNFPA
SA Projected labour force
UNFPA
Demographic Transition in South Africa
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Among the white population the transition from
high to low fertility has been completed.
The Asian and the Coloured population, with TFR
of 2.5 in 1998, have almost completed their
fertility transition.
The black population (79% of the tot.pop), the
level of TFR 3.1 in 1998.
However,
among
the
non-urban
African
population, the TFR was 4.0 in 1998.
Rather unequal demographic experience among
the racial groups - adopt slightly different
strategies to tap the dividends of demographic
transition in the population.
UNFPA
South Africa: Demographic Dividend
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Children under the age of 15 are expected to increase from 11.6
million (40% of total population) in 1980 to 21 million (38%) in 2005.
The potential economically active population (age group 15-64) from
17 million (56%) to about 30 million (54%) over this period.
Unfortunately, the country may not be able to take advantage of this
demographic dividend, as the formal economy is unlikely to be able
to provide employment for the new labour market entrants.
In 1999, for example, only 8.4% of the new entrants could be
accommodated, resulting in widespread unemployment, and
unemployment rate stands at 25.5%
The African population is still experiencing demographic transition, a
comprehensive programme of education and skills development is
urgently required to capture the dividend.
Sports could play a critical contributory role in development
UNFPA
South Africa: Fertility Transition
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Fig 2:Fertilty Trends in South Africa, by Race (1960-1998)
7
Total Fertility Rate
6
5
African
4
Coloured
3
Asian
White
2
1
0
1960
1970
1980
1990
Year
UNFPA
1996
1998
The SA Population Pyramid
UNFPA
Implications for Demographic
Dividend for South Africa
South Africa is about to reap from the
“Demographic Dividend”
 Depends on what policies and programmes are
in place to capitalize on the large population of
young people in the working age Group.
 Sports, through the FIFA Soccer World Cup
presents an opportunity for young people
through sports development, employment and
entrepreneurship opportunities.
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UNFPA
Human Capital Formation Policies for
Youth
For the demographic dividend to materialize, there
must be in place a conducive policy
environment, including:
 Access of youth to reproductive health services
and facilities;
 Reduction in HIV/AIDS prevalence;
 Reduction in teenage pregnancies;
 Addressing gender inequalities
 High quality education and appropriate skills
development for the youth.
 Second chances for out of school youth
UNFPA
The challenges
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“..I am someone who benefited in my youth -and still does benefit -- from the wonderfully
formative experience of sport; and who believes
in every child’s right to that experience -- the
right to play”, Kofi Annan, 2002.
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HIV and AIDS
Teenage Pregnancy
Gender disparities
Urbanisation
UNFPA
HIV and AIDS
AIDS now a disease of the young, 15-24 account for half
of the 5 million new cases of HIV infection worldwide
each year.
 More than 6,000 young people become infected with
HIV – everyday
 In Sub-Saharan Africa, 63% of those who were HIV
positive in 2003 were between the ages of 15-24
 Feminization of HIV infection with ratios of new female
to male infection in young people as high as 8 to 1 (SA)
 The overwhelming majority of AIDS orphans live in
Africa.
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UNFPA
Teenage Pregnancy
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Worldwide every year, 14 million adolescent girls
aged 15 to 19 give birth.
Highest rates of adolescent fertility are found in subSaharan Africa and South Asia.
Urban and rural girls aged 15 - 19 from the poorest
groups are three times more likely than their betteroff peers to give birth in adolescence
Girls aged 15 to 19 account for at least one-fourth of
the estimated 20 million unsafe abortions performed
each year
Statistics in South Africa indicate that one in three
girls has had a child by age 20
UNFPA
Teenage pregnancy and Dividend Policy
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Need for a multi-sectoral approach which considers
reproductive and sexual health issues as one aspect of
personal development,
Link to other health, family planning and social services
including employment, gender based violence,
education and livelihoods programmes.
Include positive involvement of boys and men as
partners in the struggle for equality and reproductive
health
Sports presents opportunities for girls
UNFPA
Investment in Girls’ education
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Through sports scholarships
• Educated mothers increase human capital
through influence on the health, education
and nutrition of their children
• Contributes to economic growth and reduces
poverty leading to improvement on family’s
economic prospects
• Improves reproductive health including HIV
prevention
UNFPA
Urbanization
More that half the human population, 3.3 billion people,
will be living in urban areas by 2008, growing to 5
billion by 2030.
 Majority of these people will be poor.
 About 60% of all urban dwellers will be under the age
of 18 by 2030.
 Proliferation of street children and homeless orphans
 Investing in young people could bring about a
demographic bonus and break the cycle of poverty
which their parents are caught in.
 A rights based approach to poverty reduction will
ensure the full participation of youth in policies and
plans.
 Great opportunities provided through sports
UNFPA
The Global perspective
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International Conference on Population and
Development 1994 in Cairo, 179 countries (SA) agreed
that:
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population and development are inextricably linked,
empowering girls and women
meeting people's needs for education and health, including
reproductive health
are necessary for both individual advancement and
balanced development.
MDGs:
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reflect a broad consensus in the international community.
Most MDGs speak to young people
Sports contributes to the attainments of all MDGs esp 1-6
UNFPA
The reality:
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Poverty is influenced by and influences population dynamics, such
as population growth, age structure, and rural-urban distribution.
Population dynamics have a critical impact on a country’s
development prospects and specifically on prospects for raising the
living standard of the poor and marginalized
The global context challenges us to link population and development
in a human rights based approach. It is imperative that they are
addressed
MDGs spells out the agenda, and sets clear targets for us to attain
Population and sexual and reproductive health issues, including
gender, HIV and AIDS , environment all need to be addressed in
development
ASRH is an essential component of young people’s ability to become
well adjusted, healthy, responsible and productive members of
society
UNFPA
UNFPA on Youth..
Keys:
 Supportive policy making that applies the lens of
population structure and poverty dynamics
analysis
 Gender sensitive life skills based SRH Education
 Sexual and reproductive health services: HIV
prevention
 Young People’s leadership and participation.
UNFPA
UNFPA
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Lead in the UN family on HIV prevention
Scaling up efforts on prevention including attention to
gender inequalities and liking HIV to SRH
Special focus on young people and vulnerable
populations :
Information
 Life skills
 Youth friendly services
 A safe and supportive environment
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Sports and in particular mega sports events provide a
perfect opportunity for advocacy and dissemination of
key messages to address youth SRH issues.
UNFPA
In summary
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Investing in the health and rights of youth will yield large benefits for
generations to come.
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Reducing poverty requires progress in addressing adolescent reproductive
needs including HIV prevention, gender and teenage pregnancy.
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Need to plan to reap from the ‘potential demographic dividend’ from the
large number of working age youth
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Need to put in programmes in place for vulnerable youth
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Innovative ways to address youth issues, including through sports critical
for the development of youth, both for their own personal development and
for the future of their countries
UNFPA
Food for thought
 How
can FIFA Soccer World Cup 2010
contribute to addressing the issues of youth:
their players and potential players: to ensure
a healthy, motivated, empowered, skilled pool
of soccer stars for the many world cups still to
be held?
 What legacy in terms of SRH will the hosting
of the FIFA Soccer World Cup leave for our
young people in 2010?
UNFPA
Thank you !
UNFPA- because everyone counts!
UNFPA