Wife's Empowerment and Fertility in Nigeria: The Role of Context

Abstract

This study explains how gender conditions in different social contexts shaped the reproductive behavior of wives in five Nigerian ethnic groups in 1991. Data were obtained from the 1991 Survey of Womens Status and Fertility among the Hausa Ibo Yoruba Ijaw and Kanuri ethnic groups and from married nonpregnant wives aged 15-40 years. Determinants include demand for no more children modern contraception and pro-attitude toward contraception. Womens status refers to decision-making autonomy and income. Context was expected to influence reproductive behavior directly and conditionally through the links between individual characteristics and reproduction. Controlling for the empowerment context eliminated significant ethnic differences in demand for children and reduced ethnic differences in attitudes toward birth control. Wifes socioeconomic status explained ethnic group differences in modern contraception. The analysis of the role of residence in 22 empowerment contexts revealed that empowerment had a positive effect on demand for children and contraceptive use. Empowerment was more important than wifes socioeconomic status or household autonomy in determining demand for children. Formal education despite low autonomy encouraged innovation. At the individual level wifes socioeconomic status and household autonomy in low autonomy contexts had the strongest effects on demand for children. There was no effect in high autonomy contexts. The reproductive behavior of noneducated wives varied widely across contexts. This study affirms the importance of analysis of micro and macro data.