This book lays out a range of policy actions that are needed at the various phases of the demographic transition and uses global and regional experiences to provide evidence on what has worked and what has not. Countries have a menu of options available to speed up the transition, improve investment in the resulting youth cohort, expand labor markets, and encourage savings. This book not only looks at lessons from East Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East, but also at unique demographic characteristics in Sub-Saharan Africa. Harnessing the demographic dividend means, first and foremost, empowering women and girls by improving their health, enhancing their human capital through increased investment in education and skills, and providing them with greater market, social, and decision-making power. The full potential of the demographic dividend can be realized in Sub-Saharan Africa with proactive policies that can help to make it happen.