PDF, 1536K - Measure DHS

6.2 POLYGYNY
The extent of polygyny in Ethiopia was measured by asking currently married women whether
their husband or partner had other wives and if so, how many. Married men were also asked about the
number of wives they had. Table 6.2 shows the percentage of currently married women by the number
of co-wives and the percentage of married men by the number of wives, according to selected
background characteristics.
Overall, 14 percent of currently married women in Ethiopia are in a polygynous union, that is,
married to a man who has more than one wife. Older women are more likely to be in a polygynous union
than younger women, presumably because husbands are more likely to marry again when their wives
get older. Polygyny is also higher among rural than among urban women (15 percent and 7 percent,
respectively). There are substantial regional variations in the extent of polygyny. Polygyny is widely
practiced in the Gambela (29 percent), Affar (24 percent), and SNNP (22 percent) regions. On the other
hand, in the Amhara Region and in Addis Ababa, only 2 percent of currently married women are in a
polygynous union.
Table 6.2 Number of co-wives and wives
Percent distribution of currently married women by number of co-wives and percent distribution of currently married
men by number of wives, according to background characteristics, Ethiopia 2000
________________________________________________________________________________________________
WOMEN
MEN
________________________________________ _________________________________
Number of co-wives
Number of wives
__________________________
________________________
Don't
Background
know/
characteristic 0 1 2+ missing Total Number 1 2 3+ Total Number
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Age
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
95.5 4.2 0.3 0.0 100.0 862 100.0 0.0 0.0 100.0 7
92.0 6.7 1.1 0.1 100.0 1,807 99.7 0.3 0.0 100.0 76
89.9 8.1 1.8 0.2 100.0 2,051 95.0 4.0 1.0 100.0 222
81.4 15.4 3.1 0.1 100.0 1,572 95.1 3.5 1.4 100.0 228
82.6 15.4 1.8 0.2 100.0 1,441 94.1 5.1 0.8 100.0 284
78.7 16.5 4.8 0.0 100.0 1,096 85.1 11.7 3.2 100.0 171
82.7 12.7 4.6 0.0 100.0 961 83.6 14.3 2.1 100.0 192
NA NA NA NA NA NA 84.3 15.3 0.4 100.0 139
NA NA NA NA NA NA 92.0 6.9 1.1 100.0 142
Residence
Urban
Rural
Region
Tigray
Affar
Amhara
Oromiya
Somali
Benishangul-Gumuz
SNNP
Gambela
Harari
Addis Ababa
Dire Dawa
Education
No education
Primary
Secondary and higher
93.1 5.8 1.0 0.2 100.0 1,193 97.5 2.3 0.3 100.0 183
85.5 11.9 2.6 0.1 100.0 8,596 90.2 8.3 1.5 100.0 1,277
95.3 2.9 1.6 0.1 100.0 627 100.0 0.0 0.0 100.0 75
75.6 18.1 6.3 0.0 100.0 125 70.8 23.2 6.0 100.0 21
97.8 1.6 0.5 0.2 100.0 2,587 99.6 0.4 0.0 100.0 393
81.7 15.6 2.5 0.1 100.0 3,769 88.5 9.7 1.8 100.0 567
81.6 13.8 4.6 0.0 100.0 112 92.2 3.6 4.2 100.0 22
81.0 15.5 3.4 0.1 100.0 111 87.6 10.4 2.0 100.0 18
78.1 17.5 4.4 0.0 100.0 2,133 84.1 14.1 1.9 100.0 316
71.1 21.4 7.5 0.0 100.0 30 87.1 11.3 1.6 100.0 4
92.8 6.1 0.8 0.2 100.0 22 92.4 4.6 3.1 100.0 3
97.6 2.0 0.4 0.0 100.0 236 98.4 0.8 0.8 100.0 34
92.9 6.4 0.7 0.0 100.0 38 91.0 9.0 0.0 100.0 6
85.4 11.9 2.6 0.1 100.0 8,121 89.6 8.7 1.7 100.0 895
89.9 8.5 1.6 0.0 100.0 1,161 91.1 7.8 1.1 100.0 397
94.9 5.1 0.0 0.0 100.0 507 99.2 0.8 0.0 100.0 169
Total
86.4 11.2 2.4 0.1 100.0 9,789 91.1 7.5 1.3 100.0 1,460
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
NA = Not applicable
Other Proximate Determinants of Fertility* 75