Vusumuzi Dube
Simba Jemwa, Online Reporter
BULAWAYO Metropolitan Province has been flagged as having the lowest fertility rate in the country while Mashonaland Central has the highest.
The 2022 Population and Housing Census collected data on fertility and found that at 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.
The Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Professor Mthuli Ncube who presented the data to Cabinet said information collected on fertility will provide indicators such as crude birth rates, general fertility rates; age specific fertility rates; total fertility rates; and medium age of first live births.
“At national level, the total fertility rate was 3.7 children per woman with Mashonaland Central recording 4.4 children per woman, while Bulawayo recorded 2.4 children per woman. 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,” Prof Ncube told Cabinet.
The same data also revealed that according to age specific fertility rate by age group, the nation was highest in the 20-to-24-year age group, with a rate of 178.4 live births per 1 000 women. The age specific fertility rate was lowest in the 45 to 49 age group with a 7.4 live births per 1 000 women. 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.
“Across the country, 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 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%,” continued Prof Ncube.
The Minister of Finance also added that according to infant birth registration, 19.1% (84 419) births were registered for infants in the country. Birth registration for infants was 28.3% (45 982) for urban areas and 13.7% (38 437) for rural areas. Population of registered births was highest in Masvingo at 35.1% and lowest in Mashonaland Central at 14.7%. This information will help guide Government decisions with respect to predicting the needs for enhanced public service delivery, for example provision of national registration documents. @RealSimbaJemwa
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter