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Youth

Zambia Commemorates World International Population Day 2023

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

This year, Zambia joins the international community in celebrating World International Population Day (WPD) under the theme 'Empowering young people to create the families they want in a fair and hopeful world.' The Zambia Statistics Agency (ZamStats) reports that the country's population is growing at 3.5 per cent yearly, with a nearly 20 million population as of 2022, with a higher proportion of women than men, and with children and youth comprising the majority. This growth raises concerns about resource management, environmental sustainability, and reproductive health.

Key Takeaways:

  • Zambia's population is growing at 3.5 per cent yearly, making it one of the highest growth rates in Africa.
  • As of 2022, Zambia's population was nearly 20 million, with a higher proportion of women than men, and with children and youth comprising the majority.
  • More than half of Zambians, about 55 per cent, still live in rural areas, highlighting the need for development to extend beyond city limits.
  • Literacy levels in towns and cities are higher, at 78 per cent, while villages have lower literacy levels, estimated at 50 per cent.
  • Illiteracy is most prevalent among women and girls, with many young people not progressing in school.
  • According to ZamStats, only two out of every 100 families can afford to send their children to college or university, while in rural areas, the rate is even lower.
  • Access to technology is another area with glaring inequalities, with only four in 10 Zambians aged five years and above owning a working Information Communications Technology device and only 15 per cent using the Internet.
  • The Zambian Government, in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund, will commemorate WPD with other stakeholders, emphasizing the need to empower women and girls, promote gender equality, ensure their access to education and healthcare.
  • The commemorations will also raise awareness about the consequences of population growth, including its effects on the environment, economy, and society.
  • University of Zambia Demographer, Namuunda Mutombo, called for people to practice family planning to keep the population sustainable, emphasizing the importance of family planning, access to reproductive health services, and gender equality.

Statistics:

  • Zambia's population is growing at 3.5 per cent yearly.
  • As of 2022, Zambia's population was nearly 20 million, with a higher proportion of women than men.
  • More than half of Zambians, about 55 per cent, still live in rural areas.
  • Literacy levels in towns and cities are higher, at 78 per cent, while villages have lower literacy levels, estimated at 50 per cent.
  • Only two out of every 100 families can afford to send their children to college or university.
  • Only four in 10 Zambians aged five years and above own a working Information Communications Technology device.
  • Only 15 per cent of Zambians use the Internet.

Sources:

  • ZamStats
  • Times of Zambia
  • United Nations Population Fund
  • University of Zambia Demographer, Namuunda Mutombo

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