Five Year Plan for Economic and Social Development 1981/1982-1985/1986.

Abstract

This document contains excerpts from the Gambia's Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development (1981-82 through 1985-86) relating to population and family planning (FP) policy as well as to specific sectoral actions. The first excerpt notes that the country's population is expected to increase at an average rate of 2.6% per year from 1980 until the year 2000. Thus efforts must be made to minimize the problems associated with rapid population growth, including the environmental deterioration that is resulting in increased desertification. The long-term objective of the population policy is to reduce the population growth rate by reducing the current mortality and fertility rates and reducing the net international migration rate. The FP policy seeks to reduce average family size and the dependency ratio by educating parents and providing FP services. Specific sectoral action programs will be carried out to strengthen population planning and collection of vital statistics, control immigration by issuing identity cards for all adults, strengthen FP services and education and introduce primary health care in rural areas, increase public awareness of population issues, include population education in schools, provide community development personnel with family life education, and support the activities of the Gambia FP Association.