Bulawayo women having fewer children than anywhere else in Zim
Duduzile Nyathi
Women in Bulawayo are having fewer children than anywhere else in Zimbabwe, with the city recording the nation’s lowest fertility rate, according to the 2023–24 Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey (ZDHS).
The Total Fertility Rate (TFR) for Bulawayo stands at just 2.5 children per woman, far below the national average of 3.7.
The ZDHS, implemented by ZIMSTAT with support from the Ministry of Health and international partners, defines TFR as the average number of children a woman would bear during her reproductive years. The figure in Bulawayo highlights how urbanisation, education, and access to family planning significantly influence reproductive behaviour.
Bulawayo’s low fertility rate closely mirrors broader urban trends seen across the country. Women in cities tend to have fewer children due to delayed childbearing, higher levels of schooling, greater workforce participation, and easier access to reproductive health services. The survey confirms that urban women are more likely to use modern contraceptives and less likely to have children in rapid succession.
Neighbouring provinces in the Matabeleland region also report some of the lowest fertility levels in Zimbabwe. Matabeleland South and Matabeleland North both recorded a TFR of 3.4, below the national average but higher than Bulawayo’s.
These figures suggest a regional trend in southern Zimbabwe, where smaller family sizes are becoming the norm.
In sharp contrast, Manicaland province, home to the eastern city of Mutare—registered the highest fertility rate in the country at 4.5 children per woman. This makes Manicaland the only province in Zimbabwe where women are, on average, having more than four children.
While the reasons for regional differences in fertility are complex, the ZDHS links lower fertility to higher female education levels, greater access to health facilities, urban residency, and delayed marriage. Provinces like Bulawayo, where nearly all women have completed secondary education, are showing signs of a demographic transition that may reshape future population growth and service needs.
The findings offer critical insights for national and provincial health planning, particularly in tailoring family planning and maternal health services.
As Zimbabwe’s fertility rate continues its long-term decline—from 5.5 children per woman in 1988 to 3.7 in 2023–24—regional disparities underscore the importance of context-specific policies.
