ABSTRACT
In a recent provocative article, John Sender (1999) argues that the economies of sub-Saharan Africa have done much better than what is generally taken for granted, especially if a perspective encompassing a few decades is taken. Most notably, a number of indicators related to the provision of basic needs show considerable progress. Thus, life expectancy in 1995 was on average ten years longer than in 1960, and would have been even longer had it not been for AIDS. The mortality rate in the under-five years of age group had fallen by about half. The position of women was considerably better on a number of counts. In terms of anthropometric measures they are no longer at a disadvantage in relation to men. Also, fifty years ago, less than 10 per cent of all adult females are likely to have been literate, a figure which in 1995 had increased to almost 50 per cent. Female school attendance had increased dramatically on both the primary and secondary levels, presumably one of the factors behind the reduction of infant mortality and fertility, and since 1980 this also had resulted in rapidly increasing female enrolment on the tertiary level. Statistics related to the provision of physical infrastructure, for example length of roads and paved roads, electricity production and to communications (newspapers, radios, TV sets) also show considerable development since 1950.
