Rural women beat city girls – Report

Women in Namibia are having fewer children than three decades ago, but birth rates remain high in several rural regions, according to the latest findings from the 2023 Population and Housing Census.

The findings are contained in the Fertility Report, one of four thematic reports released on Wednesday by the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA).

The report shows that Namibia’s total fertility rate declined from 6.1 children per woman in 1991 to 4.1 in 2001, before stabilising at 3.9 children per woman in both 2011 and 2023.

The decline has been more noticeable in urban areas, where the fertility rate dropped from 4.7 children per woman in 1991 to 3.2 in 2011 and remained unchanged in 2023.

In rural Namibia, fertility fell from 6.8 children per woman in 1991 to 4.6 in 2001 and 2011 but increased slightly to 5.0 children per woman in 2023.

The report also highlights wide regional differences.

Khomas recorded the country’s lowest fertility rate at 2.7 children per woman, followed by Erongo at 3.0, while Oshana recorded 3.2.

At the other end of the scale, Kavango West had the highest fertility rate at 5.5 children per woman, followed by Ohangwena and Omaheke, both at 5.2.

Speaking at the launch of the reports in Windhoek yesterday, deputy minister of health and social services Hambelela Ndjaleka said the figures should guide government planning and investment in reproductive health services.

“When we see high fertility rates in specific regions, we are not just looking at a statistic; we are looking at a call to action to intensify our family planning efforts and invest in the empowerment of our young people,” she said.

Ndjaleka said the findings should also encourage greater investment in maternal healthcare and education.

She said accurate population data allows government to plan where services are needed most instead of relying on assumptions.

“What we are holding in our hands today is not just a collection of data. It is the blueprint for our nation’s future and the compass that must guide our decisions,” she said.

The Fertility Report was released together with the Mortality, Migration and National Population Projections reports, providing a broader picture of Namibia’s changing population.

The NSA said the reports will help government, researchers and development partners make informed decisions on health, education, housing and other development priorities over the coming years.

-pmukokobi@nepc.com.na

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