Fertility and Poverty: The role of gender and reproductive health

Fertility has dropped below the replacement level in an increasing number of countries. The falls cut across world regions, economic development, cultures and religions. Within this general trend large variations prevail. Eastern Africa is a particular ca se where fertility remains high. Kenya stands out with a halt in decline at a fairly high level. Regional differences are substantial. This project will examine the development in the Christian Western Province and the Muslim Coast Province. Western had i nitially a sharp fertility decline but this came to a halt by the end of the 1990 and a slight increase in the recent years. By contrast little change has taken place in Coast Province. This project will re-examine two case-studies in Bungoma (Western Pr ovince) and Kwale (Coast Province) carried out about twenty years ago. Both areas are rural and poverty is widespread. Upon this background recent development will be addressed. Five sub-projects are planned to examine linkages between fertility and pover ty in differing contexts. The impact of gender (women and men) and reproductive health is emphasised. Existing data will be supplemented with new interviews in the two areas (through focussed biographies) and with quantitative analysis primarily of KDHS.