Women’s education and fertility transition in sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

Sub-Saharan Africa was the last major part of the developing world to experiencefertility decline, and fertility in the region remains high compared to fertility inAsia and Latin America. Correspondingly, women’s education, known to be animportant factor related to fertility via multiple pathways, is comparatively low inthe region. Numerous studies have documented the importance of increasingwomen’s education as a key variable contributing to fertility decline in thedeveloping world. This paper uses aggregated data to examine the role ofincreasing women’s educational attainment in the ongoing fertility transition insub-Saharan Africa, in conjunction with other socioeconomic changes such asdeclining infant and child mortality and changes in economic well-being. Inaddition, detailed patterns of fertility differences by educational attainment arealso examined across countries using individual-level data, highlighting thesignificant role in fertility transition of increasing secondary and higher education.

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