Abstract
This paper examines the fertility transition in West Africa against the background of recent declines in fertility in Sub-Saharan Africa. Two major questions are addressed: First, what is the status of the West African fertility transition at the end of the 20th century? Second, what are the facilitators of the West African fertility transition? Using data from Demographic and Health Surveys as well as localized studies the paper provides insights into the historical pattern of the West African fertility transition. It attempts to push the interpretation of the West African fertility transition into new theoretical directions by highlighting the importance of recent economic history, changing gender relations, land degradation/agricultural stress, diffusion, and the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The main conclusion is that although a transition to low fertility has begun, it is a geographically uneven process characterized by different stages and different interpretations.
Recommended Citation
Agyei-Mensah, Samuel
(2002)
"Fertility Transition in West Africa,"
Journal of African Policy Studies: Vol. 8:
No.
2, Article 5.
Available at:
https://ecommons.udayton.edu/joaps/vol8/iss2/5