By Chengeto Chidi
Government has said that there is a higher fertility rate in the rural areas as compared to the urban areas.
Speaking at the post Cabinet press briefing held in Harare on Tuesday 18 October, Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Monica Mutsvangwa shared that fertility was higher in rural areas than urban areas
“An analysis of fertility by rural and urban areas revealed that the total fertility rate was higher in rural areas with 4.2 children per woman compared with 2.8 children per woman in urban areas,” she said.
Related to this peak in fertility rate in the rural areas, the analysis also showed that more of rural women aged 20 to 24 years married before they reached 15 as compared to those in urban areas
“Cabinet reports that at the national level, 1.0% of the women aged 20 to 24 years, got married before attaining the age of 15 years. The population was higher in rural areas at 1.6% as compared to 0.3% in urban areas,”
At the national level, 16.2% of the women aged 20 to 24 years, got married before attaining 18 years. The population was 22.7% in rural areas; and 7.2% in urban areas. Mashonaland Central had the highest proportion at 28.8% of women who got married before 18 years, while Bulawayo had the lowest at 2.6%.
Age Specific Fertility Rate was higher in rural areas where fertility peaked in the 20 to 24 years age group with 212 live births per 1 000 women. In urban areas, it peaked in the 25 to 29 year age group consisting of 144.7 live births per 1 000 women.
These stats however seem to disregard the move by the Constitutional Court (Concourt) on 24 May, 2022, when it was ruled that the legal age of sexual consent be increased from 16 to 18 years old and Section 78(1) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe provides that only persons who have attained the age of 18 have the right to found a family.
The 2022 Population and Housing Census data on fertility is a key driver of population change apart from mortality and migration since it provides crude birth rates, general fertility rates; age specific fertility rates; total fertility rates; and medium age of first live births.
Mutsvangwa shared that at the national level, the general fertility rate was 114 live births per 1 000 women. Mashonaland Central had highest general fertility rates at 137 live births per 1 000 women; and Bulawayo, with 73 live births per 1 000 women, had the lowest general fertility rate.
Cabinet advises that at the national level, total fertility rate was 3.7 children per woman. Mashonaland Central had 4.4 children per woman, while Bulawayo had 2.4 children per woman.
However, birth registration remains higher in urban areas as compared to rural areas
“Birth registration for infants was 28.3% (45 982) for urban areas and 13.7% (38 437) for rural areas,” she shared.
At the national level 19.1% (84 419) births were registered for infants.
Population of registered births was highest in Masvingo at 35.1% and lowest in Mashonaland Central at 14.7%. This information guides Government in decisions with respect to predicting the needs for enhanced public service delivery, for example provision of national registration documents.