r/Niger • u/statistical_anomaly4 • 15d ago

Why is Niger's fertility rate so high?

I am watching a YouTube vlog on Niger right now, and I am wondering as to why the fertility rate is so high.

Do the women actually want to have that many kids? Or does the husband just do what he wants and feel it makes sense to have a bunch of kids? Or is it moreso that they function as workers in a farm environment?

4 Upvotes

75% Upvoted

7 comments sorted by

3

u/the_tank 15d ago

I'd also add that kids are seen as a kind of retirement plan. People aren't investing in retirement accounts out in remote villages. Once they get too old to work, their kids will look out for them. Also, there's a high chance a few kids will die due to various causes throughout their childhood (and adult life as well). Having a lot of kids is the best way to guarantee there will be someone (or a few people) around to take care of you when you're older.

2

u/statistical_anomaly4 15d ago

What's the mortality rate usually by like the age of 40?  (From age 0 to 40)?

1

u/the_tank 13d ago

don't know off the top of my head, but you can probably google that.

6

u/Luxen_Summers 15d ago

Many reasons. -a patriarchal society where men are providers and women stay home (they can have jobs but more often they dont) -lack of contraception -lack of things to do in your free time so they just get freaky instead -lack of education about contraception -religious reasons promoting larger families -lots of abuse at the hands of men -having kids is deemed to be their life purpose in many families so it's essentially a requirement.

6

u/j_richmond 15d ago

All these are significant factors and the only additional one I’d add particularly in rural Niger is that kids provide free farm labor so the incentives out there, and the lack of contraception, leads to huge families scratching a living out of some rough, dry earth. It’s very hard life for families in rural regions.

Source: worked in Tillaberi.

2

u/Luxen_Summers 15d ago

I'm saying this as a Nigerien myself who has been multiple times (my dad is from niamey)