Citation

Gwako EL. Sex Roles 1997; 36(3-4): 127-147.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1997, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

12347963

Abstract

This study examines the influence of women's status in the household on family size and use of family planning in rural Kenya. The study relies on the theoretical framework of power relations of Lappe and Schurman (1990). The structure of decision-making power within the family, village, community, national governments, and international institutions influences the choices open to people. The power structure refers to the rules that determine who is allowed to participate in decision-making processes and how their views are part of the final decision. The study sample includes three ethnic groups: the Abaluhya of Sabatia region, Vihiga district; the Abagusii of Nyamachee division, Kisii district; and the Masai of Kilgoris division, Narok district. The random sample includes 200 currently married women aged 15-49 years among each ethnic group. Analysis is based on participant observation, interviews, and in-depth focus groups among selected women and elderly key informants. Findings indicate that 47.7% had high status, 40.5% had moderate status, and 14.5% had low status. The mean number of children was 4.5. The mean number of children was 4.1 for wives with high status, 4.4 for wives with moderate status, and 5.8 for wives with low status. This childbearing pattern applied in general and for both the Abagusii and Abaluhya ethnic groups. Among the Masai, women had the same number of children regardless of their position. Findings suggest that wives' participation in decision making about family size, family planning, and management of income is likely to have a dampening effect on fertility. Wives participation in income generation activities improved their status and self-confidence. The results suggest that married women's status is not static, unified, and unchanging, but flexible, modified continually, and reinterpreted in an adaptive process.

Language: en