Conclusion

The challenges of the demographic dividend for African countries A gender perspective

Gender equality as both a cause and a consequence of the demographic dividend

Achieving gender equality and the empowerment of women is both the cause, the consequence and one of the conditions of the demographic dividend. According to the level of demographic transition in each country, the priorities of the public policies implemented are different, but all of them must take into account the establishment of a favourable environment, a "gender ecosystem", which includes the strong commitment by political authorities on this agenda, the insurance of a truly egalitarian education from primary school to university; the promotion of reproductive health and family planning, and lastly the creation of conditions of employability of young people and women with the guarantee of a minimum of protection to free them from the poverty traps.

More widely speaking, public policies, which target demographic transition in order to benefit from the potentialities of the demographic dividend will also make it possible to contribute to the solution of the challenges emerging from the African continent and the well-being of its populations: mass unemployment of young people, commitment in terms of sustainable development, economic and technological integration as well as the reduction of all inequalities, first and foremost gender inequalities.