POPULATION POLICY GOALS, OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES
3.1 VISION OF THE POLICY
The vision of this policy is to contribute towards the establishment of a society that provides a high and equitable quality of life for all South Africans in which population trends are commensurate with sustainable socio-economic and environmental development.
The policy is therefore complementary to the national development strategy and related sectoral policies.
3.2 GOAL OF THE POLICY
The goal of the policy is to bring about changes in the determinants of the country's population trends, so that these trends are consistent with the achievement of sustainable human development.
3.3 MAJOR NATIONAL POPULATION CONCERNS
The outline of the country's population and human development situation presented in Part Two provides the basis for identifying major population concerns that could constitute obstacles to sustainable development.
Major population concerns include:
3.3.1 the growth and structural dynamics of the population relative to the growth and capacity of the economy to cope with backlogs in employment, education, housing, health and other social services to meet the needs and aspirations of the people;
3.3.2 the pressure of the interaction of population, production and consumption patterns on the environment;
3.3.3 the high incidence and severity of poverty in both rural and urban areas;
3.3.4 inequities in access to resources, infrastructure and social services, particularly in rural areas, and implications for redistribution and growth and the alleviation of poverty;
3.3.5 the reduced human development potential influenced by the high incidence of unplanned and unwanted pregnancies and teenage pregnancies;
3.3.6 the high rates of infant and maternal mortality, linked to high-risk child bearing;
3.3.7 the high rates of premature mortality attributable to preventable causes;
3.3.8 the rising incidence of sexually transmitted diseases, especially HIV/AIDS, and the projected socio-economic impact of AIDS;
3.3.9 the nature of spatial mobility and the causes and consequences of urban and rural settlement patterns;
3.3.10 the insecure family and community life;
3.3.11 the marked gender inequalities in development opportunities, including access to productive resources, that reflect the low status of women;
3.3.12 the inadequate availability and access to population and development data and information for designing, monitoring and evaluating population and development strategies and programmes;
3.3.13 the limited institutional and technical capacity for demographic analysis and for using population data and information for integrated population and development planning;
3.3.14 the poor knowledge base of population and population-development relationships;
3.3.15 the limited systematic use of population data in formulating and implementing, monitoring and evaluating development plans and programmes for the entire population;
3.3.16 the inadequate analysis of the nature and impact of immigration for policy development purposes;
3.3.17 the insufficient availability to the people of appropriate information, education and communication on population and development-related issues.
The Government is committed to resolving these concerns in a comprehensive manner within the framework of its overall development strategies as contained in the RDP and the GEAR. This commitment is a further justification for the population policy.
3.4 OBJECTIVES OF THE POLICY
The objectives of the policy are to enhance the quality of life of the people through:
3.4.1 the systematic integration of population factors into all policies, plans, programmes and strategies at all levels and within all sectors and institutions of government;
3.4.2 developing and implementing a coordinated, multi-sectoral, interdisciplinary and integrated approach in designing and executing programmes and interventions that impact on major national population concerns;
3.4.3 making available reliable and up-to-date information on the population and human development situation in the country in order to inform policy making and programme design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation at all levels and in all sectors.
3.5 MAJOR STRATEGIES OF THE POLICY
The strategies listed below are those that should be implemented to achieve the objectives of the policy. The strategies reflect the multi-sectoral nature of the population policy and relate to a range of programmes that should be implemented by a variety of government departments. These strategies are therefore not the sole responsibility of any one government department or institution; they cut across the line functions of various departments. They should be implemented within the scope and functional responsibility of the relevant line function departments, supported by the private sector and organisations of civil society, with adequate provision for intersectoral linkages.
Once the population policy has been finalised and approved, a comprehensive National Action Plan will be drawn up in consultation and collaboration with all relevant stakeholders at national and provincial levels for its implementation. The National Action Plan will contain details and specifications of the responsibilities of the stakeholders for executing programmes and projects on the basis of the strategies of the population policy at the various levels of government and within the scope of the relevant line functions.
Additional strategies will be developed as new information on the interrelationships between population and development in the country becomes available, and as programmes for the implementation of the policy are developed. Ongoing monitoring and the evaluation of policy implementation will also produce evidence for developing additional strategies.
Policy objectives will be achieved through the major strategies listed below. It needs to be recognised that, although the strategies have been grouped under some headings for ease of reference, the groups of strategies are interlinked because of their reciprocal impacts. For example, improved education will impact on health, mortality, fertility and gender equality; increased employment will impact on poverty and health, etc.
Coordination and capacity building for integrating population and development planning
3.5.1 Enhancing the technical capacity of technical planning staff in pertinent government institutions at all levels and in all sectors with regard to the methodologies for integrated population, development and gender-sensitive planning and programming.
3.5.2 Expanding opportunities for training in demography and population studies.
3.5.3 Sharing of technical information, advice and services relating to population and development issues between various government institutions, the private sector, including tertiary institutions, and civil society, for the more effective design and implementation of policies and programmes that impact on the major population concerns.
3.5.4 Promoting the participation of civil society in all aspects of the implementation of the population policy.
3.5.5 Establishing and/or strengthening mechanisms for intersectoral consultation, collaboration and coordination.
3.5.6 Developing and promoting the use of composite indicators, goals and targets for -
(a) monitoring changes in the dynamics of the population and in the levels of human development;
(b) revising the thrust of programme interventions where necessary; and
(c) assessing progress in the achievement of the objectives of this policy.
Advocacy and population information, education and communication (IEC)
3.5.7 Sustaining advocacy on population and development issues targeted at leadership at all levels.
3.5.8 Integrating information, education and communication strategies into all relevant programmes.
3.5.9 Incorporating population education (on the linkages between population dynamics and development) into school curricula in relevant learning areas at all levels.
Poverty reduction
3.5.10 Reducing poverty and socio-economic inequalities through meeting people's basic needs for social security, employment, education, training and housing, as well as the provision of infrastructure and social facilities and services.
Environmental sustainability
3.5.11 Ensuring environmental sustainability through comprehensive and integrated strategies which address population, production and consumption patterns independently as well as in their interactions.
Health, mortality and fertility
3.5.12 Improving the quality, accessibility, availability and affordability of primary healthcare services, including reproductive health and health promotion services (such as family planning), to the entire population in order to reduce mortality and unwanted pregnancies, with a special focus on disadvantaged groups, currently underserved areas, and adolescents; and eliminating disparities in the provision of such services.
Gender, women, youth and children
3.5.13 Reducing the high incidence of crime and violence, especially violence against women and children.
3.5.14 Promoting responsible and healthy reproductive and sexual behaviour among adolescents and the youth to reduce the incidence of high-risk teenage pregnancies, abortion and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS, through the provision of life skills, sexuality and gender-sensitivity education, user-friendly health services and opportunities for engaging in social and community life.
3.5.15 Advocating and facilitating measures taken in order to enable women and girls to achieve their full potential through -
(a) eliminating all forms of discrimination and disparities based on gender;
(b) more effective implementation of laws that protect women's rights and privileges; and
(c) increasing women's representation in decision-making bodies through affirmative action.3.5.16 Promoting the equal participation of men and women in all areas of family and household responsibilities, including responsible parenthood, reproductive health, child-rearing and household work.
Education
3.5.17 Improving the quality, accessibility, availability and affordability of education from early childhood through to adult education, with the emphasis on gender-sensitive and vocational education and the promotion of women's educational opportunities at the tertiary level.
Employment
3.5.18 Creating employment-generating growth with a focus on economic opportunities for young people and women.
Migration and urbanisation
3.5.19 Increasing alternative choices to migration from rural to urban areas through the provision of social services, infrastructure and better employment opportunities in the rural areas within the context of rural development programmes and strategies.
3.5.20 Reducing backlogs in urban infrastructure and social services, and making adequate provision for future increases in the population living in urban areas.
3.5.21 Reviewing the nature and impact of all forms of international migration on sustainable development in order to formulate and implement an appropriate policy.
Data collection and research
3.5.22 Strengthening commitment to and enhancing national capacities and mechanisms for the collection, analysis, interpretation and dissemination of population data and information, including data and information on all aspects of human development, and the use of such data and information to inform policy making and development planning.
3.5.23 Establishing and continuously updating a national statistical database and information system designed to pool pertinent data and information from various government departments, as well as other relevant institutions, making such data and information accessible to the various planning units and the general public in order to enhance the sharing and exchange of such data and information.
3.5.24 Ensuring that all data collected, the analyses of such data and the findings of pertinent research studies are, to the extent possible -
(a) disaggregated by sex to permit the application of gender-sensitive planning techniques and the construction of gender indicators;
(b) disaggregated by geographical area, age and other attributes, in order to inform policy making and planning at local levels; and
(c) made available in formats that comply with the needs of users.
INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR IMPLEMENTING, MONITORING AND EVALUATING THE POLICY
4.1 IMPLEMENTATION OF THE POLICY
The implementation of this policy depends on a sound institutional framework and active political, administrative and technical support for the translation of goals, objectives and strategies outlined in the policy into actual programmes at all levels of society. The collective responsibility of both the government and the private sectors, as well as civil society, is required to operationalise the policy purposefully within the South African situation.
The functional area of "population development" is contained in Part A of Schedule 4 of the 1996 Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, which deals with "Functional Areas of Concurrent National and Provincial Legislative Competence" Chapter 3 of the Constitution, which deals with "Co-operative Government", contains a section on "Principles of co-operative government and intergovernmental relations" which states that "all spheres of government and all organs of state within each sphere must ... secure the well-being of the people of the Republic" and must "co-operate with one another in mutual trust and good faith by ... informing one another of, and consulting one another on, matters of common interest; co-ordinating their actions and legislation with one another; adhering to agreed procedures; ..."
These principles imply that the population function will be executed at the national, provincial and local level of government according to the guidelines, norms and standards set out in this population policy. Existing structures and institutions will be utilised and new ones established as necessary to promote and facilitate intergovernmental relations for effective policy implementation.
Because of the multi-faceted nature of population issues and the factors that impact on them, the implementation of this policy and the achievement of its goal and objectives will be the responsibility of the entire government at all levels and in all sectors, the private sector, civil society, and indeed all South Africans. There is therefore a need for the active participation and involvement of all individuals and national institutions; for strong commitment on the part of the political leadership of all kinds and at all levels; for effective coordination of the relevant efforts and activities to be undertaken by many institutions in different locations. Equally, there is a strong need for collaboration between these institutions.
New programmes or action plans may be designed for the implementation of this policy. But, more importantly, all existing and future programmes have to be oriented or reoriented towards achieving its objectives. Deliberate efforts will be made to utilize existing structures of government and civil society to implement the policy in order to avoid creating additional institutional frameworks, unless they are absolutely necessary. Some reorientation of functions and the establishment and/or strengthening of operational linkages will, however, be necessary.
This population policy will be implemented in two ways: firstly, by developing the necessary demographic and interpretative capacity in all relevant departments to ensure the undertaking of adequate demographic analysis and related policy interpretation to support the policy-making and planning needs of each sectoral department, and secondly, through sectoral and intersectoral programmes which impact on key population concerns.
4.2 CABINET
The President as Head of State will oversee the implementation of the population policy and will report on progress with its implementation as part of an annual national development report.
The Cabinet Committee for Social and Administrative Affairs will ensure coordination and political commitment at the highest political level to integrating population and development concerns as part of the national development strategy. This is a prerequisite for the effective implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the policy.
4.3 PARLIAMENT AND PROVINCIAL LEGISLATURES
It should be ensured that legislation supportive of the achievement of the objectives of the policy is enacted and that legislation militating against it is identified and repealed. This means that parliamentary and provincial legislature portfolio committees whose areas of responsibility are related to population and development issues should ensure that all current and future legislation is consistent with the goal and objectives of this policy. Portfolio committees should also monitor the implementation of this policy as it pertains to their sectors. The National Population Unit will provide technical assistance in this regard. Interportfolio committee meetings will provide mechanisms for facilitating coordination between sectors and for addressing any overarching legislative issues.
Chapter 6 of the Constitution states that the legislative authority of a province is vested in its Provincial Legislature. The Provincial Legislature has the power to pass legislation for its province with regard to any matter within a functional area listed in Schedule 4 of the Constitution, such as the functional area of "population development". Further, "The Premier exercises the executive authority, together with the other members of the Executive Council, by ... implementing all national legislation within the functional areas listed in Schedule 4 ..." The Provincial Legislature can also assign any of its legislative powers to a municipal council in that province, which implies that the Provincial Legislature has the power to oversee the execution of a specific function at local level. This clearly also applies to the functional area of "population development".
Suitable structures and mechanisms should be established at the provincial and local (community) level to facilitate the execution of the population function, should such structures or mechanisms for this purpose not exist at present. This includes the establishment of population units at provincial level.
Since most development and population-related programmes operate at the local level, local authorities are central to the implementation of the major strategies of this policy. Local governments have to ensure the provision of services to communities in a sustainable manner, to promote social and economic development, to promote a safe and healthy environment and to encourage the involvement of communities and community organisations in matters of local government. In providing these services, local governments have to involve communities and community organisations in programmes and projects related to promoting sustainable development and the improvement of the quality of life of people at the local level, which will inevitably include population and development-related matters.
4.4 POPULATION UNITS
Population units will be restructured at the national and provincial levels. Provincial Population Units will have a centralised structure within the departments where they are located. This means that population structures will not be created at regional or district level. The population units will support national and provincial line function departments and facilitate inter-agency collaboration in order to ensure the implementation of the policy at all levels of government. Population units will be responsible for monitoring and evaluating the progress of the population policy as part of the monitoring of the national development strategy.
The functions of the population units will be to:
4.4.1 promote advocacy for population and related development issues targeted at government leadership and civil society at all levels;
4.4.2 disseminate relevant population information (as part of the monitoring and evaluation role) to all structures of government in suitable formats in order to inform them about population trends and to provide technical support for the implementation of the policy;
4.4.3 undertake the analysis and interpretation of data on the country's population dynamics and on the reciprocal relationships between population and development to inform policy design and programming;
4.4.4 assist government departments to analyse data and to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of programmes for purposes of assessing the overall successes and failures of the national development strategy;
4.4.5 develop means to assist government departments to enhance their capacity and expertise in analysing the linkages between demographic variables and their policies and programmes (this may involve the commissioning of appropriate training and capacity building for institutions in civil society);
4.4.6 assist government departments to interpret the population policy in relation to their areas of responsibility;
4.4.7 monitor and evaluate population policy implementation;
4.4.8 commission relevant research in consultation with the Central Statistical Service and/or other departments in order to ensure comparability and compatibility of data and to prevent duplication;
4.4.9 liaise with institutions outside of South Africa to promote collaboration and the exchange of expertise and experience in the population and development field; and
4.4.10 coordinate government preparations for and reporting on international population conferences.
In order to perform the above functions effectively, the technical capacity of population unit staff needs to be enhanced.
The population units may initiate intersectoral collaboration in the analysis and interpretation of demographic data to inform the strategies and the monitoring and evaluation of this policy, as well as in the commissioning of research. They can call for intersectoral technical meetings to highlight the interaction of demographic trends with development, and encourage departments to develop strategies or campaigns, individually or intersectorally. Existing intersectoral coordinating mechanisms will be used where possible to ensure effective coordination of multi-sectoral programmes.
Collaboration between Provincial Population Units, and between Provincial Population Units and the National Population Unit will be encouraged to facilitate the sharing of expertise and resources.
The National and Provincial Population Units are at present located in the departments responsible for the welfare function. This is due to historical decisions and does not reflect the cross-departmental and service nature of their functions. Although the nature of the services they provide require that population units, both at national and provincial levels, should be located outside of the line function structures of government, a suitable alternative location will be determined in the future by the Cabinet in the context of national and provincial reviews regarding the location of institutions responsible for intersectoral development planning and monitoring functions. The role of the Central Planning Unit in the Office of the Deputy President, which is ultimately expected to play a coordinating role at this level, is especially pertinent in this regard.
In the meantime it has been decided that the National and Provincial Population Units will remain attached to the departments responsible for the welfare function. Since their functions are different from those of welfare, and involve servicing many sectoral departments, they will therefore operate as separate entities with a unique mandate and functions. Their budgets and priorities will be approved and monitored separately from those of the welfare components.
The National Population Unit will collaborate closely with the Central Planning Unit in the Office of the Deputy President in order to facilitate the incorporation of the population policy as part of the national development strategy. Similarly, Provincial Population Units will collaborate closely with the units responsible for provincial development planning.
The Cabinet Committee on Social and Administrative Affairs will make it clear to all relevant departments that the population units offer a service to all of them.
4.5 SECTORAL DEPARTMENTS
The design and implementation of interventions that will lead to the achievement of the objectives of the policy will be undertaken sectorally, at national and provincial levels. The various ministries and departments, especially those in the social and economic sectors, therefore have the major responsibility for the implementation of the policy. All existing and future sectoral and intersectoral policies and programmes must be oriented towards achieving the objectives of this policy. This implies that the technical capacity of professional staff in this field must be enhanced.
Sectoral departments at national and provincial levels will be sensitised and assisted technically by staff of the population units to understand and interpret the relevance of this policy for their respective line functions. Population units will design and undertake advocacy strategies to support sectoral departments at national and provincial levels in taking up this responsibility. They will develop strategies to make training available to sectoral staff in order to enhance their capacity to understand and interpret the relevance of the policy for their respective line functions and to begin to systematically incorporate population issues into their policy and planning processes. Population units will also offer technical support to sectoral functions as required.
In order to ensure effective population policy implementation, including the development of shared goals, targets and indicators related to the strategies of this policy, interdepartmental liaison and coordination is necessary. Mechanisms and structures already established, such as various interdepartmental and intergovernmental task teams, the Office on the Status of Women or the Interministerial Committee on Youth at Risk, should be utilised as far as possible without creating unnecessary additional structures, in order to avoid duplication of effort and to maximise the use of resources.
A line function department may initiate intersectoral programmes in collaboration with other relevant departments. Such collaboration, facilitated through intersectoral committees, will be necessary to ensure a shared understanding of the key population concerns for which each sector has some responsibility.
Funding for policy implementation is to be met through eliminating duplication and ensuring cost-effective means of integrating population programme interventions into the development of the programmes and projects of departments. This means that major additional funding should not be needed for population policy implementation since line function departments will accommodate population concerns in their line function programmes and projects.
4.6 CIVIL SOCIETY
The active involvement and participation of the private sector and civil society in the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of population activities is of paramount importance for the achievement of the objectives of this policy. Many government departments already have effective mechanisms for involving community structures in decision making and in the actual implementation of programmes. In addition, existing consultative structures, from community development forums to the National Economic Development and Labour Council (NEDLAC), will incorporate the issues addressed in this population policy into their deliberations at the national, provincial and local levels.
Many non-governmental organisations representing civil society are already dealing with some of the issues identified in this population policy in a complementary role to that of government. In addition, they will continue to monitor and critique this policy and its implementation in order to ensure the openness and responsiveness which are essential to democracy.
4.7 ADVISORY BODY
A non-bureaucratic multi-sectoral advisory body consisting of population and development experts should be established to facilitate the technical operations of the National Population Unit. The population policy advisory body should assess the contributions of the various sectors to population policy implementation and should strengthen intersectoral collaboration in this field at all levels. The body should also provide expert advice on population and development issues to the Minister responsible for the population function.
4.8 LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK
Currently there is no legislation to regulate matters relating to population and development as envisaged in this policy. The governmental structures within which the population units are located, in consultation with other relevant stakeholders, will explore the development of appropriate legislation to promote the objectives outlined in this policy.
4.9 CONCLUSION
Through the concerted efforts of all of these structures, population concerns will be integrated into the national development strategy from policy development to programme implementation, monitoring and evaluation. In this way, the population policy will contribute to the establishment of a society which provides a high and equitable quality of life for all South Africans.
GLOSSARY OF CONCEPTS USED IN THE WHITE PAPER
Age dependency ratio
The age dependency ratio represents the ratio of the combined child population (0-14
years) and aged population (65+ years) to the intermediate age population (15-64 years).
Child mortality rate
The child mortality rate (under-five mortality rate) refers to the number of children who
die before their fifth birthday and is expressed as a rate per 1 000 live births.
Contraceptive prevalence rate
Contraceptive prevalence rate is defined as the percentage of fertile women exposed to
risk of pregnancy using contraception.
Crude birth rate
The crude birth rate (CBR) is the number of live births per 1000 of the population in a
given year.
Crude death rate
The crude death rate (CDR) is the number of deaths per 1000 of the population in a given
year.
Development/Human development
Development implies more than merely economic development, that is, an increase in human
productivity and long-term increases in real output per capita. Development entails
economic and social development. This perspective gave rise to the concept of human
development.
Human development accepts the central role of human capital in enhancing human productivity. But it is just as concerned with creating the economic and political environment in which people can expand their human capabilities and use them appropriately. It is also concerned with human choices that go far beyond economic well-being.
In essence, human development is a process of enlarging people"s choices. These choices include three elements, namely choices for people to lead a long and healthy life, to acquire knowledge, and to have access to the resources needed for a decent standard of living. Additional choices include political, economic and social freedom to make use of opportunities for being creative and productive, and to enjoy personal self-respect and guaranteed human rights. Human development thus has two sides: the formation of human capabilities, such as improved health, knowledge and skills, and the use people make of their acquired capabilities for productive purposes, for leisure or for being active in cultural, social and political affairs. The purpose of development is to enlarge all human choices in order to promote human well-being. There are therefore four major elements in the concept of human development: productivity, equity, sustainability, and empowerment.
Economically active population
The term "economically active" refers to all those people who are available for
work. It includes both the employed and the unemployed. People who are not available for
work, for example, those under the age of 15 years, students, scholars, housewives or
homemakers, retired people, pensioners, disabled people and others who are permanently
unable to work are excluded from the definition of the economically active population.
They are generally regarded as being outside the labour market. The economically active
population consists of workers (employees and employers), in both the formal and the
informal sector.
Environment
The environment covers a wide range of issues - the land, water and air, all plants,
animals and microscopic forms of life on earth, the built environment, as well as the
social, economic, political and cultural activities that form part of everyday life.
Fertility
Fertility refers to the number of live births occurring in a population. The average
number of children that would be born to a woman (or group of women) during her lifetime
is referred to as the total fertility rate (TFR). The fertility rate (or general fertility
rate) is the number of live-births per 1000 women aged 15 - 49 years in a given year.
Infant mortality rate
The infant mortality rate refers to the number of deaths of babies before the age of one
year per 1000 live births.
Life expectancy at birth
Life expectancy at birth is an estimate of the average number of years a person can be
expected to live from the time he/she is born. It is a good indirect measure of the
mortality (and health) conditions of a population.
Migration
Migration is the movement of people across specified boundaries for the purpose of
establishing a new residence. Such movements can be due to various reasons, for example,
in search of a job or better life, to live with relatives, forced displacements, etc.
Movements for the purpose of establishing a residence across international boundaries, or
from one country to another, are referred to as international migration; as emigration
when such movement is out of a country, and as immigration when such movement is into a
country.
Minimum Living Level
The Minimum Living Levels (MLLs) are calculated by the Bureau of Market Research
(University of South Africa) in February and August of each year for 26 areas. There are
as many as twelve different MLLs for each area, calculated according to household
size and place of residence. The MLL denotes the minimum financial requirements of
members of a family if they are to maintain their health and have acceptable standards of
hygiene and sufficient clothing for their needs. The MLL is the lowest possible sum on
which a specific size of family can live in the existing social set-up. The MLL is
calculated according to the actual size of families, their age structure and sex
composition in each area.
Mortality
Mortality refers to deaths that occur within a population. The infant mortality rate (IMR)
is the number of deaths to infants under one year of age per 1000 live births in a given
year. Similarly, the child (under-five) mortality rate is the number of deaths to children
under five years of age per 1000 of the population under five years old in a given year.
The maternal mortality rate is the number of women who die as a result of complications
related to pregnancy and childbirth in a given year per 100 000 births in that year.
Natural increase
Natural increase is the surplus (or deficit) of births over deaths in a population over a
given period of time. The rate of natural increase is the rate at which a population is
increasing (or decreasing) in a given year due to the surplus (or deficit) of births over
deaths, expressed as a percentage of the population. The rate of natural increase does not
include the effects of emigration and/or immigration.
Perinatal mortality
Perinatal mortality is defined as the death of a foetus or a baby which occurs within the
period from 28 weeks of gestation to the first 28 days after birth. High rates of
perinatal mortality provide an indication of the quality and availability of antenatal
care, as well as adverse health, nutritional and social conditions of child-bearing women.
Population growth
Population growth is the overall change in the size of the population in a geographic
area, owing to fertility, mortality and migration.
Population growth rate
The population growth rate is the rate at which a population is increasing (or decreasing)
in a given year owing to natural increase and net migration, expressed as a percentage of
the base population. It takes into account all the components of population growth, namely
births, deaths and migration.
Population policy
A population policy refers to explicit or implicit measures undertaken by a government to
(directly or indirectly) influence the processes of fertility, mortality and migration as
well as their outcomes such as the growth, distribution, composition, size and structure
of the population. Population policies are often adopted and implemented as integral
components of the development strategies of countries.
Population or demographic trends
Population or demographic trends refers to changes over time in the three demographic
processes of fertility, mortality and migration, as well as concomitant changes in the
size, composition and distribution of the population.
Preferred family size
Preferred family size is defined as a woman"s ideal or desired number of children.
Racial classifications
The terminology referring to racial classifications used in this White Paper reflects
systems of racial classification under apartheid, according to which data were kept. The
use of these classifications is necessary in order to indicate the challenges facing South
Africa in its goal of achieving equality. The terms African, Asian, coloured and white are
generally used, except when referring to Africans, Asians and coloureds collectively, in
which case the term "black" is used.
Reproductive health services
Reproductive health services refers to the constellation of services aimed at fostering
sexual and reproductive health. These include preventive and promotive services, such as
information, education, communication and counseling, as well as treatment in relation to
reproductive tract infections, sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS, and
other reproductive health conditions; contraception; prenatal care, safe delivery and
post-natal care; infertility; abortion; and cancers of the reproductive system.
Sex ratio
The sex ratio is the ratio of males to females in a given population, usually expressed as
the number of males to every 100 females.
Sex/gender
Sex differences refer to differences based on biological realities. Narrower in scope, the
word "sex" denotes the biological distinction between male and female. Gender
differences refer to differences which are socially created and conditioned. The word
"gender" pertains to masculine and feminine roles as culturally perceived. While
sex is given and for the most part unalterable, gender is constructed within particular
societies and, theoretically at least, can be deconstructed.
Sustainable human development
Sustainable human development can be defined as the enlargement of people's choices and
capabilities through the formation of social capital to meet as equitably as possible the
needs of the current generation without compromising the needs of future generations.
Unemployed persons
The Central Statistical Service defines "unemployed persons" as persons 15 years
and older who were not in paid employment or self-employed, and were available for
paid employment or self-employment during the reference week (the seven days preceding the
interview), and had the desire to work and to take up employment.
Urban/non-urban
"Urban" includes areas with some form of local authority as well as areas of an
urban nature but without any form of local management. All other areas are classified as
non-urban. Residents of an informal settlement immediately adjacent to the boundaries of a
town are classified as "non-urban".
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