Attitudes toward Family Size Preferences in Urban Ethiopia

Abstract

Making use of data obtained from fieldwork conducted in five major urban centers of Ethiopia in the summer of 2004, this study examines the attitudes of respondents on family size preferences to understand the fertility transition in urban areas. The methodology includes in-depth qualitative interviews and focus group discussions. The findings suggest that children continue to have an immeasurable value for urban residents. However, people differ in their preferences towards family size. A family of four or more children is defined as large by the majority of participants of the study and about three-quarters of them disapproved of large family sizes. The findings show that voluntary childlessness is not within the realm of choice. The overwhelming majority of participants were in favor of small families rather than opting for childlessness. Urban residents have a reproductive goal that takes into account reducing costs in the face of economic hardships and tailoring preferences to achieve upward social mobility. There is emphasis on the wellbeing of relatively smaller number of children and attaining a certain level of investment in one’s own human capital which are incompatible with large family size preferences.