Ziyanda Ngoma, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and Sudesh Reddy, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF
Investing in young lives: A pathway to harnessing the demographic dividend and advancing human capital development
/ 23 May 2025

Investing in young lives: A pathway to harnessing the demographic dividend and advancing human capital development

South Africa is standing at a demographic crossroads. According to Statistics South Africa’s 2024 Mid-Year Population Estimates, the population under the age of 35 is approximately 36.5 million, representing about 58% of the total population of 63.02 million. The country, therefore, possesses a powerful engine for socio-economic transformation: its young people..  But this engine must […]