Browsing by Author "Komba, Cyril"

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    Socio-cultural determinants of fertility differentials among the Matengo and Mwera in Mbinga district
    (University of Dar es Salaam, 2007) Komba, Cyril
    The objective of the study is to establish the socio-cultural determinants of fertility among the Matengo and Mwera in Mbinga District; also to investigate how the differences in the modes of life reflect the variations in fertility between them. The sample used was of women aged 15-49 years, and men aged 18 years and above, with a sample size of 150 respondents. Data were collected through both interviewing and documentary review methods. Tables and cross tabulation, bivariate of analysis and graphs have been used for data analysis. The analytical framework as adopted from Davis and Blake (1956) and Bongaarts (1978) have been used for data analysis. The study demonstrated that there are some differentials in fertility between the Matengo and Mwera. The differences are in the average number of children ever born for both women and men and the differences in the sex preferences. The study had a limited number of respondents and it was mainly concentrated in the rural areas, and hence the results obtained are full of rural people’s perspective. The study will help policy makers, demographers, educationists, planners, students and the like to facilitate on integrating the variables studied to reach the policy goals in planning issues. The study concludes that, the most important proximate factor for the differences in fertility between Matengo and Mwera is the age at first Marriage, type of marriage, remarriage rates, and husband’s age at first marriage as they are influenced by such socio-cultural factors like parity (desired number of children), the value of children and the power relations.