Zambia Demographic and Health Survey 2001-2002 - Measure DHS

The 2001-2002 ZDHS also sought men’s opinions concerning women’s participation in decisionmakingin the four specified areas. Table 3.14.2 shows the percent distribution of men who say that theirwife or partner alone or jointly should have the greater say in making specific decisions.Table 3.14.2 shows that one in four men are of the opinion that wives alone or jointly should nothave the greater say in any of the specified decisions. The proportion of men who feel that women shouldhave a say in none of the specified decisions is higher in rural than urban areas (32 percent and 15 percent,respectively). More than half of men are of the view that a wife or partner should decide by herselfor jointly about the number of children to have and when to have them. Fewer men say that wives shouldhave the greater say in decisions related to large household purchases and visits to family and friends (43percent each).As presented in Table 3.14.2, according to male respondents, the importance of the wife’s role indecision-making increases with the level of the man’s education. For instance, 37 percent of men with noeducation and 93 percent of those with higher education said a wife or partner should have a greater sayin how she spends her own money. Amongst the provinces, the highest proportion of men who say wivesshould have the greater say in all specified decisions is in Eastern province (31 percent), while men inLuapula province are least likely to believe so (9 percent). Eastern province has the highest proportion ofmen (along with Western province) who say that women should have the final say in none of the specifieddecisions.44 │ Characteristics of Respondents