Fertility and family planning in Fiji
Bavadra, T.U.; Kierski, J.
Studies in Family Planning 11(1): 17-23
1980
ISSN/ISBN: 0039-3665 PMID: 7376231 DOI: 10.2307/1965893Document Number: 376963
The population of Fiji in 1976 (total 588,068) consisted of 53% Indians and 37% Fijians. Fertility declined significantly (29%) during the period 1961-76--by 44% among Indians and by 17.6% among Fijians. Age-specific fertility also declined. Among Indians fertility is highest among women aged 20-24; among Fijians fertility is highest among women aged 20-29. Parallel declines have also taken place in average number of children, dependency ratio, and average household size. Indian women tend to marry earlier than Fijian women. The 1974 Fiji Fertility Survey (Fiji segment of the World Fertility Survey) has provided data on age at first marriage, residence, religion, and occupation for women married before age 25. For all interviewed Fijian women who were married before age 25 the mean age at first marriage was 18.8; for Indian women it was 16.6. Fijian women with no, 1, or 2 living children stated that their ideal family size was from 2.4 to 3.1 children; Indian women with the same number of children desired 2.7 to 2.9 children. Among women with 3, 4, or 5 children the preference was for 0.7 additional children for Fijians and 0.5 for Indians. Only 27% of Fijian and 38% of Indian women wanted to limit their family to 2 children. 96% of women of all ethnic groups, irrespective of age and number of children, are aware of the most effective methods of contraception. Nevertheless, to achieve further reduction of the crude birth rate, which has stayed since 1968 between 29 and 30 per 1000, the Fiji government's national family planning program will have to upgrade the technical and motivational skills of health workers. Another approach is the participation of additional government and nongovernment agencies.