Fertility Behaviour of Dalit Community (A Case Study of Salkot Vdc Ward No. 9 Tokma Surkhet)

Abstract

The main purpose of this study is toexamine the Fertility Behaviour of DalitCommunity: A Case Study Salkot VDC Ward No.9, Tokma Surkhet" in termsof selected demographic and socio-economic variables, knowledge of familyplanning relation between CEB education, occupation, income and age atmarriage.In the study included 115 currently married women of reproductiveages(15-49) years from 115 households with 716 entire family members.Household and individual level informationare collected by census methodandanalysis method. Among total Dalit population, male constitute 49.16 percent and femaleconstitute 50.84 percent and hence the sex ratio is 96.70. About 66.13 percentpeople are married. Out of the eligible women 70.44 percent are married under20 years of age. The literacy rate of theDalit population is 51.72 percent andthe 55.65 percent of eligible women are illiterate. Among the total respondents81.74 percent women are engaged in agricultural sector. Only 64.34 percentcouples of reproductive age were found as the currently user of contraception.High fertility culture is shown by these people. Women of age group 45-49years has 7.75 mean CEB. Lower fertility behaviour has associated with literacy and having higher age atmarriage. Better occupation status helps to reduce fertility. Use ofcontraception, age at marriage, literacy status and occupation of respondentsare found to be inversely (negatively) associated with the number of fertility(CEB). In the study area most of the Dalit women are backward from socialeconomic and educational level. Most of the Dalit women are engaged inagriculture and daily wage labour. The educational situation is very poor. In thestudy area few, Dalit females are in reproductive age (15-49 years) has beenattained formal education. It is argued that fertility remains high due to highchild mortality. High fertility has ensured high dependency and burden.Similarly, current skewed distribution of population towards the younger ageswould result high fertility in some year to come.