A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the award of Master of Arts in Demography and Population Studies, University of the Witwatersrand, 2017 / BACKGROUND: Nigeria has a very low level of modern contraceptive use; with resultant effects of high fertility, and maternal and child mortality. It is Africa’s most populated country, and with a rapid growth rate. Modern methods of contraception is a crucial strategy to reduce the high fertility rate, halt population growth, lessen child mortality, and enhance maternal health. This study aims to assess partner’s economic and demographic asymmetries as barriers contributing to the uptake of modern contraceptives among young married and cohabiting women aged 15-24 years in Nigeria. METHOD: This study used data from the Nigerian Demographic and Health Survey 2013, with a sample of 4,981 young (15 – 24 years) married and cohabiting women. The Health Belief Model was used to explain partner’s socio-economic and demographic differences as barriers to the utilisation of modern contraceptives. Frequency distributions and binomial logistic regression were carried out using STATA v12 to answer the research questions. RESULTS: Only 6% of young married and cohabiting women use modern contraceptives. In the unadjusted analyses, women who were in less homogamous unions were less likely to practise modern method contraception. Respondents younger than their partners by 6-10 years and respondents younger by 11 or more years were less likely to use modern contraceptives (UOR= 0.357, CI 0.135-0.943; UOR= 0.223, CI 0.084-0.595). Respondents whose partners want more children were less likely to use modern contraceptives while respondents whose partners want fewer number of children compared to them were more likely to use modern contraceptives (UOR= 0.325, CI 0.240-0.439; UOR= 1.812 CI 1.1082.963 respectively). However, these associations were no longer significant after adjusting for women’s age, highest level of education, place of residence, religion, and region of residence and other differences. CONCLUSION: This study concluded that socio-economic and demographic differences between married partners are not associated with young women's contraceptive use in Nigeria, after adjusting for women’s characteristics. Further studies, especially qualitative studies, are needed to understand this finding. Keywords: Modern contraceptives, young married women, partner asymmetries, Health Belief Model, Nigeria / GR2018

MGS / Institute for Youth and Gender Studies

This study on “Some Gendered Practices in a Zulu Family: A Feminist Perspective” investigated gender bias, gender inequality, and gender stereotypes as seen in daily gendered practices happening within the Zulu family. The practises examined are confined to the domain of the Zulu culture, particularly the Zulu marriage. The four main research questions put surveillance on how married women are restricted to move freely on the premises of their own homes; how women can unhappily find themselves in a polygamous marriage; how a wife’s dignity can be denigrated due to a man’s lack of understanding of her body anatomy; how she can be denied equal status with her husband due to certain cultural beliefs and conceptions. In the face of inevitable change that influences human behaviour, this study sought to show that the Zulu nation, particularly men, find it difficult to easily and speedily accept that culture and tradition are subject to change. The study attempted to establish whether there is any improvement on gender transformation or not, especially within the context of the current endeavours by the South African government to ensure that there is no gender discrimination by having female representativeness in all spheres of government. Progress has been made with regard to fair representation of women in political and decision-making positions in all spheres of government. The country is currently rated 7th in the world in terms of representation of women in legislature. http://www.buanews.gov.za/rss/08/08120715451006-5/11/2012 Throughout the analysis and interpretation of both the statistical and qualitative data, I critiqued the data to establish whether the gender transformation ideal is being achieved in the Zulu family or not. Radical feminism, the theory through which this study was conducted, has helped to show that Zulu women are still disadvantaged and oppressed due to social machinations that are essentially invented by patriarchal men. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012.