Integration of demographic variables in development planning: the case of Central African Republic
Bm'niyat Bangamboulou-te-niya, D.
Les Annales de l'I.F.O.R.D 13(1): 49-79
1989
PMID: 12178539 Document Number: 267086
Development is a complex phenomenon that concerns all the structures and subsystems of a society, affecting its quantitative aspects through economic growth and its qualitative aspects through social and cultural change. Planning is needed, but it is effective only to the extent that it is applied to a known and controllable reality. The integration of population and development is still a poorly defined concept despite the fat the it has been a topic of interest for the past several decades. at least since the 1946 creation of the UN Population Commission. Development planning should begin with evaluation of the past and present economic, social, and demographic situation of the country and should include formulation of clear objectives. The Central African Republic is a hugh country with some significant resources but a fragile and underdeveloped economy. The population, estimated at nearly 3 million, is very unevenly distributed, with 1/2 million living in the capital of Bangui. Fertility and mortality are high. The Central African Republic has had multi year development plans since 1948, but they have largely consisted of collections of projects funded by external investment. In the absence of institutional mechanisms capable of defining priorities and strategies leading to concrete decisions, the plans remained excessively general and ambitious. Economic planning has improved somewhat over the years, but there is still a lack of basic economic and social data, a shortage of financial resources, and inadequate mechanisms for setting priorities and strategies for decision making. No mechanism has been developed for integrating population and development although some research and family planning activities have been undertaken. A 1980 national seminar on problems of development was attended by representatives of all sectors, and in 1981 a national team formulated guidelines for a new strategy of social development. Family planning services were added to the maternal-child health project created in 1978, and the 2nd national population census is underway. These positive actions have not been integrated into a framework for population and development planning. 4 phases are viewed as necessary if integration of population and development planning is to be achieved in the Central African Republic. These phases are provision of population education to all sectors; research on population variables and links between population and development especially in employment, education, and population distribution; training and integration of skills between political authorities, planners, and researchers; and development of data bases and modelling capabilities.