Where We Work
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Niger - Background
BACKGROUND
Population: 14,200,000 (July 2007 est.)
Population Age <15: 48%
Life Expectancy: 56 years
Contraceptive Use Among Married Women Ages 15-49: 5%
Population Growth Rate: 3.4% (2007 est.)
Total Fertility Rate: 7.1 children born/woman (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate: 0.7% (2007 est.)
Literacy Rate: 28.7%
GDP Per Capita: $1,000 (2006 est.)
Niger’s current population is 14.6 million people, and it is growing exponentially. The country has the highest fertility rate in the world, with the average woman having 7.1 children in her lifetime.
Because of the dramatic growth in population, development of necessary infrastructure is impeded, social services are unavailable and parents find themselves struggling to provide for their large families. As a result, many children are forced to leave their communities at a very young age in hopes of a better life, or they are sold into slavery by their parents.
Blinded by desperation, these children often end up in situations where physical and sexual abuse is prevalent, and where they are required to work up to fifteen hours a day receiving little or no compensation for their work.
