Thesis (DPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The study describes and analyses changes in women's reproductive behaviour ID developing communities. These changes took more than hundred years to occur ID Western communities but only two to three decades in developing communities such as Taiwan and Barbados. The population of Victoria East district of the Eastern Cape province of South Afiica was chosen as a case study of these changes. Changes in the reproductive behaviour of women are described over a period of twenty-two years. The base year for the study is 1978 and data were collected up to 2001. Changes increased in particular since 1988. Statistical descriptive analyses were undertaken with regard to patterns of changes in variables such as age at the onset of births, child spacing, the mean number of births per woman, fertility regulation, and the number of children ever bom. Variations in patterns were analysed according to age cohorts, occupation and marital status. Information regarding these variables was collected from records at hospitals and clinics. Focus group interviews were held to reflect women's own descriptions and experiences regarding these variables. The research design thus combines the quantitative and qualitative approaches. The findings confirm a pattern of fertility decline that Caldwell described as the African pattern, which is different from that seen in Europe and Asia. It is characterized by a progressive delay in onset of childbearing and reductions in the mean number of childbirths that occur across all age cohorts and are associated with contraceptive accessibility. The high incidence of non-marital childbearing in the Victoria East district however sets the population studied apart from the polygamous Afiican societies on which Caldwell based the African transition. In this respect the population considered resembles the scenarios seen in Latin America, the Caribbean, Botswana and in recent years Europe. The study population shows a divergence in the patterns of marital and non-marital childbearing, with marital childbearing following the African pattem. Because of its high incidence, non-marital childbearing is dominant and the major contributor to the fertility decline that is afoot. The implications of this pattern needs much more in-depth study before comparisons with the above-mentioned communities can be made. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die studie beskryf en ontleed veranderinge in vroue se reproduktiewe gedrag in ontwikkelende gemeenskappe. Hierdie veranderinge het in Westerse gemeenskappe meer as honderd jaar geneem om plaas te vind maar slegs twee tot drie dekades in ontwikkelende gemeenskappe soos Taiwan en Barbados. Die bevolking van die landelike Victoria-Oosdistrik: in die Oos-Kaapprovinsie is gekies as 'n gevalstudie daarvan in Suid- Afrika. Veranderinge in die reproduktiewe gedrag van vroue in hierdie gemeenskap word oor 'n periode van twee-en-twintigjaar beskryf Die basisjaar van die studie is 1978 en data is ingesamel tot en met 2001. Veranderinge het veral toegeneem vanaf 1988. Statistiese-beskrywende ontleding is gedoen ten opsigte van patrone van verandering in veranderlikes soos die ouderdom by die skenk van geboorte, geboorte-spasiëring, die gemiddelde aantal geboortes per vrou, fertiliteitsregulering en die aantal kinders ooit gebore. Variasies in patrone is ook na aanleiding van huwelikstaat en beroep bepaal. Inligting aangaande hierdie veranderlikes is verky vanaf rekords wat by hospitale en klinieke gehou word. Fokusgroeponderhoude is ook onderneem waarvolgens vroue se eie beskrywings en ervarings aangaande die genoemde veranderlikes verkry is. Groepe is saamgestel volgens verskeie ouderdomskohorte en huwelikstaat. Die navorsingsmetodologie behels dus 'n kombinasie van kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe benaderings. Die bevindings bevestig 'n patroon van fertiliteitsafhame wat deur Caldwell as die Afrikapatroon beskryf word en afwyk van die Europese en Asiatiese patroon. Dit word gekenmerk deur 'n progressiewe vertraging in die aanvang van geboorte-skenk, afhame in die gemiddelde aantal geboortes oor al die ouderdomskohorte en word geassosieer met kontraseptiewe toegankliheid. Die hoë voorkoms van buite-egtelike geboortes in die Victoria-Oosdistrik onderskei egter die bestudeerde bevolking van die poligame Afrika gemeenskappe waarop Caldwell die Afrika-oorgangstipe gebaseer het. In hierdie opsig vertoon die bevolking eerder ooreenkomste met ontwikkelende gemeenskappe m Suid-Amerika, die Karibbiese Eilande, Botswana en die meer onlangse Europa. Die bestudeerde bevolking vertoon uiteenlopende patrone van binne-egtelike en buite-egtelike geboortes met die binneegtelike patroon meer in ooreenstemming met die Afrika-patroon. Die hoë voorkoms van buite-egtelike geboortes domineer egter die algehele patroon en kan beskou work as die hoof bydraende faktor in the afhemende fertiliteit wat waargeneem is. Die implikasies hiervan moet egter veel dieper studie ondergaan alvorens verdere vergelykings met die bogenoemde gemeenskappe gemaak kan word.

Thesis (M Social Work)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this study is to gain understanding of the perceptions and experiences of divorced women in the postdivorce phase, with specific reference to rural divorcees. During intervention with divorced women the social worker ought to be informed about the needs of divorcees, as well as be skilled to deal with the trauma of divorce. It is therefore necessary to understand how women experience the post-divorce process. The Systems, Ecological, Strengths and Feminist Perspectives are used as a frame of reference to understand the adaptation of divorced women. First, a study of relevant literature is undertaken which presents a broad review of the process of divorce; divorce as a mourning process, as well as the influence of divorce on the women and children. Attention is also devoted to literature on the adaptation of women in the post-divorce phase. Second a qualitative, phenomenological research subject is chosen to explore the experiences and perceptions of divorced women’s adaptation during the post divorce-phase. Factors which obstruct adaptation, as well as factors which stimulate personal growth, came to light during the empirical research. Four themes unfolded from the research. The first theme relates to tension: tension regarding finances; tension regarding health; tension arising from the overloading of roles and tension resulting from the relationship with the ex-husband, as well as how divorce is experienced int the rural areas. The second theme deals with spirituality: divorce as a spiritual crisis; deepenig spirituality; spirituality in the shaping of identity and facilitating to a large extent the mourning process. In the third theme various sources of support are discussed, while the fourth theme focuses on the positive side of divorce, namely personal growth. The before mentioned themes contain the challenges divorced women experience during the post-divorce phase. Recommendations focus on post-divorce intervention which are aimded to relief stress, strengthen spirituality, to obtain knowledge of supportsystems in the community, and also to stimulate the process of personal growth. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie het ten doel om geskeide vroue se persepsies en ervarings van hul aanpassing in die post-egskeidingsfase te verstaan, met spesifieke verwysing na die plattelandse geskeide vrou. Tydens intervensie met geskeide vroue behoort die maatskaplike werker vaardig en goed ingelig te wees ten opsigte van die behoeftes wat geskeides ervaar, daarom is dit noodsaaklik om te verstaan hoe geskeide vrouens die proses ervaar. As praktykraamwerk is die Gesinsisteem-, Ekologiese, Sterkte- en Feministiese Perspektief gebruik om die aanpassing van geskeide vroue te verstaan. Eerstens is ‘n literatuurstudie onderneem wat ‘n breë oorsig oor die proses van egskeiding, egskeiding as rouproses asook die invloed van egskeiding op die vrou en kinders bied. Aandag is ook gegee aan die aanpassing van die vrou in die postegskeidingsfase. Tweedens is ‘n kwalitatiewe, fenomenologiese navorsingsontwerp gekies om die ervarings en persepsies van vyf geskeide vroue uit verskillende plattelandse dorpe se aanpassing in die post-egskeidingsfase te eksploreer. Faktore wat die aanpassing strem, asook faktore wat persoonlike groei stimuleer, het uit die empiriese navorsing na vore gekom. Vier temas het uit hierdie navorsing ontspring. Die eerste tema hou verband met spanning: Finansiële spanning, spanning oor gesondheid, spanning wat ontstaan uit die oorbelading van rolle, spanning oor die verhouding met die gewese man, en die plattelandse ervaring. Die tweede tema handel oor spiritualiteit: egskeiding is ‘n spirituele krisis, dit bring spirituele verdieping, spiritualiteit help met identiteitsvorming en fasiliteer in ‘n groot mate die rouproses. In die derde tema word verskeie ondersteuningsbronne bespreek, terwyl die vierde tema ook die positiewe kant van egskeiding uitlig, naamlik persoonlike groei. Bogenoemde temas vervat die behoeftes wat geskeide vroue tydens die aanpassingsperiode na egskeiding ervaar. Aanbevelings het gefokus op postegskeidingsintervensie wat daarop gemik is om spanning te help verlig, spiritualiteit te versterk, ondersteuningsnetwerke in die omgewing te ken en die proses van persoonlike groei te stimuleer.

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree in Master of Health Sciences in Nursing, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2016. / Introduction and Background According to the Declaration of Alma-Ata, maternal and child health care forms an integral component of primary health care. In line with this, the South African national government legislated free maternal and child healthcare services in the public sectors to ensure accessibility and availability of basic health care services to the community of South Africa. However, poor access and utilization of antenatal care services in rural areas continues and contributes to high maternal mortality and morbidity rates and untoward pregnancy outcomes. Aim The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of pregnant women from the KwaMkhizwana rural area regarding antenatal care services in order to identify the factors affecting effective provision of and access to the antenatal care services. Method A qualitative, explorative, descriptive research design, which was guided by Rosenstock’s Health Belief Model, was used to conduct the study. Data were collected by conducting semi-structured interviews with 15 participants who were purposively sampled between February and March 2016 and was analysed using Tesch’s method of data analysis. The sample size was determined by data saturation that was reached after ten interviews were conducted. A total of five additional interviews were conducted to confirm saturation of data. Findings There were five major themes and several sub-themes that emerged from the interviews. The major themes included: 1) availability and accessibility of antenatal care services; 2) established practices by the health post staff to reduce the number of clients; management and administration of the health posts; 3) access to health information by pregnant women; 4) communication between the pregnant women and the health post staff; and 5) socio-cultural taboos and beliefs of the community in the area. Conclusion and Recommendations The information gathered from the participants with regard to their experiences affirms that challenges still exist in this rural community regarding access to health care services, particularly antenatal care services. Recommendations pertaining to policy development, institutional management, practice, and research were made. Some of these recommendations included that several policies that are currently non-existent should be developed in order to promote accessibility of antenatal care service at primary health care level, more primary health care training schools should be established to increase the number of primary health care trained nurses, short courses for training of clinic supervisors should be conducted and that further research studies looking at ANC service accessibility especially in rural areas, focusing on health care workers and management experiences be conducted. / M

Text in English / In Zimbabwe, women are concentrated in rural areas where there are limited resources. For human development to be achieved, the welfare of women needs to be taken into consideration. Some NGOs operating in the country aim at advancing and improving the status of women and promote gender equality through socio-economic empowerment programmes. This study aimed at determining the impact of three selected local NGO’s programmes at grassroots level. The study revealed that progress has been made in transforming the general livelihoods of the women who are members of these organisations at grassroots level but there are various issues which these NGO’s have to consider so as to improve their effectiveness. / Development Studies / M. A. (Development Studies)

Using a mixed methods, interdisciplinary case study approach, this research project explores the benefits, risks, and challenges of male migration for women who reside in San Juan Guelavía, Oaxaca, Mexico. In a unique approach in the field of migration studies, this project considers not only women whose husbands have migrated--absent husbands--but also the impact of male migration on women whose husbands have returned as well as women whose husbands have never left--anchored husbands. Women with returned husbands and even women with anchored husbands feel the threat, worry, and fear that male migration could, at an unknown point in the future, fragment their family. This case study approach looks at how women's work responses are differentiated by husbands' migration status, by age, and by husband's control over women's activities. Women with absent husbands tend be income-producing women as well as women ages 35 to 50 far more than women 35 and under and 50 and over. With motherhood as a cultured priority of rural Mexican women, women's income-producing opportunities are primarily limited to options within the home or in venues that can accommodate their children until the children enter school. Although this case study showed little or no connection between male migration and educational attainment, substantial policy-worthy findings suggest that the lack of value that residents of San Juan Guelavía place on the local public high school curriculum negatively impacts educational attainment of children beyond middle school. Women's traditional and cultural emphasis of marriage for their daughters as well as their reluctance to expose daughters to the negative influences of the city sway the decisions that women make for their daughters.

On January 31, 1911, the Homemakers' Clubs of Saskatchewan became an official organisation under the direction of the University of Saskatchewan. Established to provide isolated rural women with companionship, access to education, and the opportunity to carry out community service, Homemakers' Clubs appealed to thousands of farm women because they provided the means by which they could improve themselves, their farm homes, and their communities. Its appeal also lay in the fact that the organisation remained non-political and non-sectarian, focusing instead on women's primary responsibilities to their homes and their families. To that end, Homemakers' Clubs embraced a domestic ideology that institionalised notions of gender and celebrated women's roles in the home. Given that the nature of farm women's work was not restricted to the household, however, Homemakers' Clubs allowed rural women to redefine an urban domesticity to include their farming responsibilities. Moreover, in a setting where gender lines were often blurred and the division of labour was not always strictly defined, membership in an organisation that reinforced gender roles, promoted family and community life, and embraced a traditional mandate provided farm women with a level of respectability and femininity that was often lost in a farming setting. Finally, the domestic ideology under which the Homemakers' Clubs operated allowed its members to find recognition and validation in their work, and, in their goals to elevate home life, to legitimise their work, and to adjust domestic ideology to include their farming responsibilities, the organisation became a space in which its members discussed, debated, explored, and, in some cases, challenged common perceptions of women; they subtly challenged the status quo and demanded validation and recognition for their work in and contributions to their farms and communities. As such, an organisation that may outwardly appear to be a traditional women's organisation devoted strictly to the exchange of recipes and household advice, was, in actuality, quietly political and provided farm women with a sense of identity that enabled them to contribute fundamentally to their rural homes, families, and communities.

On January 31, 1911, the Homemakers' Clubs of Saskatchewan became an official organisation under the direction of the University of Saskatchewan. Established to provide isolated rural women with companionship, access to education, and the opportunity to carry out community service, Homemakers' Clubs appealed to thousands of farm women because they provided the means by which they could improve themselves, their farm homes, and their communities. Its appeal also lay in the fact that the organisation remained non-political and non-sectarian, focusing instead on women's primary responsibilities to their homes and their families. To that end, Homemakers' Clubs embraced a domestic ideology that institionalised notions of gender and celebrated women's roles in the home. Given that the nature of farm women's work was not restricted to the household, however, Homemakers' Clubs allowed rural women to redefine an urban domesticity to include their farming responsibilities. Moreover, in a setting where gender lines were often blurred and the division of labour was not always strictly defined, membership in an organisation that reinforced gender roles, promoted family and community life, and embraced a traditional mandate provided farm women with a level of respectability and femininity that was often lost in a farming setting. Finally, the domestic ideology under which the Homemakers' Clubs operated allowed its members to find recognition and validation in their work, and, in their goals to elevate home life, to legitimise their work, and to adjust domestic ideology to include their farming responsibilities, the organisation became a space in which its members discussed, debated, explored, and, in some cases, challenged common perceptions of women; they subtly challenged the status quo and demanded validation and recognition for their work in and contributions to their farms and communities. As such, an organisation that may outwardly appear to be a traditional women's organisation devoted strictly to the exchange of recipes and household advice, was, in actuality, quietly political and provided farm women with a sense of identity that enabled them to contribute fundamentally to their rural homes, families, and communities.

Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 46-05, page: 2668. Adviser: Maria E. Fernandez. Includes bibliographical references

Transport is a significant factor in development. It determines the extent to which people can access social services as well as work and livelihood opportunities. The study presented in this dissertation is based on a case study ofthe Lions River pay point, which is a shop in the Mngeni Municipality. The aim ofthe study was to look at the influence of transport in accessing social services for women (Child Support Grant beneficiaries) in rural areas. The findings are based on a sample of66 Child Support Grant (CSG) beneficiaries. Using quantitative methods, the study focused on women and their transport needs when accessing the Child Support Grant, medical care for their child/children and their child/children getting to and from school The sampling technique used was an in-depth use ofa case study as illustrative ofrural settings. The respondents constituted a convenience sample as anyone who was at the Lions River pay point were asked whether or not they received the CSG. Ifthe respondents were beneficiaries ofthe CSG, they were asked to respond to a survey questionnaire. The results ofthe study show that in rural areas, transport is a barrier to accessing social services. Due to poor roads and the limited availability oftranspo~women spend a considerable amount oftime accessing social services, time that could be used in income generating activities. Findings ofthis study confirm research undertaken in other unpublished studies (Ngubane 1999 and Nzama 2(01). They show that in rural settlements, transport is a serious barrier to accessing social services. Welfare beneficiaries have no choice and are forced to use expensive public transport due to a lack ofalternate modes oftransport. It has been suggested by Nzama (2001:2) that the transport efficiency ofrural households can be enhanced by improving the rural transport system (by creating better roads and foot paths) and by locating social services close 10 people in order 10 reduce the distance that they need to travel. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2003.

Rural women‘s land rights in South Africa remain secondary in spite of laws founded on a constitution that promotes gender equality. Patriarchal customary laws prevail and women‘s land rights and use security are inextricably linked to their relationships with their male relatives. Rural women are key producers of agricultural products due to historical and continued male outward migration, which has led to a feminisation of agriculture. Although women farm the land, their land use security is poor and can be further threatened by divorce or widowhood. Given that most vulnerable women are based in rural communal South Africa, how can their land rights be secured under the customary law framework? While the statutory law framework seems to provide a solution, it is less applicable in rural areas where customary law and traditional practices prevail. If statutory law cannot be superimposed on the existing customary law framework, how can women‘s land use be further secured to support their household food security efforts? What kind of framework can be introduced to strengthen women‘s land use security? A study was conducted in rural Limpopo Province to explore this complex and yet important question. A mixed methods approach comprising interview style questionnaires with a mixture of closed and open-ended questions, coupled with focus group discussions and observation was employed. Qualitative data from the focus group discussions and open-ended questions was analysed for common themes using content analysis. Quantitative data was analysed using SPSS to establish descriptive data, frequencies and establish the relationships between variables. Results of the analyses were used for building blocks to develop a land rights framework that is more gender sensitive and secures the rights of the actual land users. Women‘s land rights were largely confirmed to be secondary and land use security was linked to the continued relationship to male relatives through marriage and natural blood lines. From these findings, a gender sensitive framework that enables and improves land-based food security efforts has been proposed. / Thesis (M.Sc.Agric.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2013.