Death rate
The number of deaths in a population, usually in any given year, per 1,000 individuals when provided without distinction by age, it is also known as Crude Death Rate. When detailed by age group, it is called an Age-Specific Death Rate.
DED
Deputy Executive Director (DED). UNFPA's DED Management is Anne-Birgitte Albrectsen. UNFPA's DED Programme is Kate Gilmore.
Deinfibulation
Dilation of the vaginal opening. The procedure is performed on women who have undergone FGM/C Type III to enable penetration during sexual intercourse and for childbirth. See Infibulation. See FGM/C.
Demographic dividend
The demographic dividend is the window of opportunity in the development of a society or nation that opens up as fertility rates decline. The drop in fertility rates often follows significant reductions in child and infant mortality rates, as well as an increase in average life expectancy.
Depo Provera
A long acting (3-months), synthetic progesterone injection used as a birth control method.
Demographic Dependency Ratio
The number of people in dependent ages (under 15 or over 65) divided by the number of people aged 15-64 times 100.
Demographic dividend
A relatively steep fall in fertility over a relatively short period opens up a window of opportunity for countries to realize a demographic dividend. After families have decided to a smaller number of children (young-age dependents), and before countries are having a growing number of older persons (old-age dependents), they benefit from a relatively large working-age population (and low and falling ratio of dependents per person in working age). The fall in the dependency ratio provides an opportunity for households and the public sector to deepen investment in the next generation. They can, even without an increase in the resource envelope, invest more in the health and education of each child. Provided that countries complement investment in human capital – which strengthen employability and entrepreneurship – with productive investment in physical capital and infrastructure – which create employment opportunities – countries can accelerate social and economic development. These efforts must go hand-in-hand. Otherwise, countries may succeed in strengthening the skills of the next generation but may not succeed in creating sufficient and sufficiently productive and remunerative jobs for the next generation, or vice versa.
Demographic transition
The historical process by which societies evolve from high fertility and high mortality to low fertility and low mortality.
Demography
Demography is the scientific study of human population dynamics, including their sizes, compositions, distributions, densities, growth, and other characteristics, as well as the causes and consequences of changes in these factors.
Dependency Ratio
The dependency ratio of the economically dependent part of the population to the productive part; arbitrarily defined as the ratio of the elderly (ages 65 and older) plus the young (under age 15) to the population in the working ages (ages 15-64).
Depopulation
Depopulation refers to the state of population decline.
DHS
Demographic and health surveys (DHS)is the programme of national surveys on fertility, family planning, maternal and child health and household living conditions. The DHS began in 1984 and represents one of the largest sources of information on the reproductive and health behaviour of women.
Diaphragm
A dome-shaped rubber cup with a flexible rim which covers the cervix during intercourse to reduce the chance of pregnancy.
Disabilities
The preferred expression is persons or people with disabilities. This accords with the definition given in the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Disabled Persons) Convention, 1983 (No. 159), namely that people with disabilities are individuals whose prospects of securing, retaining, and advancing in suitable employment are substantially reduced as a result of a duly recognised physical or mental impairment.
DMPA
Depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) is the systemic method of contraception based on either a progestagen combined with an oestrogen or a progestagen alone. The methods of delivery include pills (oral contraceptives), injectables and implants.
Dual protection
Dual protection is the protection against both unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV. For sexually active individuals, a male or female condom is the only device that is effective for dual protection. See Comprehensive condom programming (CCP).
Dysmenorrhoea
Painful menstruation.
Dyspareunia
Painful intercourse.
