Libya, one of less advanced countries, has experienced extensive demographic change in recent decades. Although, efforts have been made to collect descriptive statistics relating to population change (such as Censuses), there has been no serious explanations of demographic change by academics of the reasons behind population trends in Libya.This thesis sought to explore in a rigorous fashion the extent to which socio-economic circumstances, particularly increased levels of female education, has influenced female fertility behaviour. This hypothesis was examined for the population of El Gebel El Akhdar, Libya.The study was based on a sample of 600 married women categorised by location (urban and rural), age (below and above 45 years) education level and socio-economic status. Quantitative and qualitative techniques were used to understand fertility differentials for both the older and younger women included in the survey both in urban and rural areas. It was demonstrated that there were important changes in female fertility behaviour taking place both in relation to the intermediate variables (marriage, post-partum infecundability, contraception) as presented in Bongaarts? theory (1982, 1985) and in relation to socio-economic factors (education, occupation, income, age difference of partner, place of birth and residence). Female education was given special attention in the research following the general research framework of Jeffery and Basu theory (1996).Females with higher educational attainment, and thus higher employability, were characterised by relatively higher ages at first marriage, a smaller family size and a concurrently positive attitude towards approval and use of family planning and using contraceptive. They also engaged in a period of shorter breastfeeding. The inverse emerged as true for uneducated women.In addition to the effect of education on fertility, it emerged that change in female fertility behaviours and attitudes were also influenced by the interaction of many other socio-economic factors such as income, occupation, and partner age difference. On the contrary, the place of birth and place of residence did not help to explain fertility outcomes.

Masters of Science / The present study is an understanding of the relationship that exists between landholding and the reproductive behaviour of rural women in Kenya. Traditional women have rights to cultivate land as well as control income from the resulting crop production but rarely have rights to allocate or alienate land. Men are the rightful owners of the land. When the rightful owner person passes away, the eldest son of the family automatically takes ownership of the land and subsequent care of the family. This period of land ownership supported high fertility rates. However, in current spaces this practice has changed. Land is scarce and people are opting for other alternatives of limiting their family sizes. The aim of the study is to address the dissimilar changes of fertility behaviour among women in rural Kenya. Particularly, landholdings and low fertility behaviour, focusing on how this change happened. Data used is from the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS) 2008/2009. We acquire a representative sample size of 6761 women age 15-49 from the data. A multiplicity of statistical parameters like chi-square test, p-value, logistic regression, and multivariate analysis are adopted. In this regard, the relationship that exists between fertility and landholdings leads to large family sizes. In addition, land decrease has lead to the search of alternatives such as education, employment, and increase in age at marriage. The introduction of these factors has promoted smaller family sizes. This study is immensely useful for the policy makers, planners and other interested stakeholders in population and development spheres in this juncture.

There are many potential determinants of women?s labour supply including wages, unearned income, human capital endowments, demographic characteristics and family traits. Fertility behaviour, including the number of children and age of children, is also an important factor in women’s labour supply decisions. Many factors which affect women’s decisions on participating in the labour market and hours of work are also key influences on their decisions on starting a family and having a desired number of children. This thesis provides a comprehensive analysis of the determinants of labour supply and fertility behaviour of Australian women. Using cross-sectional data, labour supply models corrected for sample selection bias, and fertility models examining different aspects of family size, the thesis finds that women’s labour supply decisions are largely influenced by their wages and fertility behaviour. Their decisions on completed fertility, starting a family and having additional children are largely influenced by their actual or potential wages.