Women’s status as a crucial factor in fertility regulation:A case study of Mathare and Komarock residential areas of Nairobi

Abstract

This is a Micro-level study which attempts to examine the impact of differential status of women on fertility level at family level in an Urban setting in Nairobi-Kenya. Women's education and labour force participation were used as the main status variables in this study. The study examined and explored the direct and indirect relationship between the status variables and women's fertility. To measure the effects of the status variables on fertility, the present study applied the model of fertility determination.~ The f ami 1 y f armed the sampl ing uni t whereas the individual wi f e aged 15- 4 9 years formed the Interview UnIt. A total of 200 ever-married women selected to form the sample was covered. To select the sample uni ts, a simple random sampling using the lottery method was adopted. The interview schedule formed the basic tool for data collection. In the analyses of the data the main techniques used included mainly percentages and tables. In summary it was found out that education is the most significant variable that determines women's status. Labour force participation also had some effects on fertility through its far reaching effects on breast feeding intens it y and preference for children especially sons. It is the general recommendation in this paper that in terms of future development, the opportunities to be examined should pertain to women's general access to and control of resources; education, employment, politics and adequate health care.