Fertility Intention of Women in Turkey from a Gender Equity Perspective with Focus on the Division of Labor within the Home

Abstract

This thesis provides an empirical test of gender equity theory by focusing on particular dimensions of gender equity, being the allocation of housework, education and employment. Considering fertility as a purposive behavior that is based on intentions, the aim in this thesis is to establish a model of the fertility intentions of women in Turkey from a gender equity perspective. To this end, micro-level analyses are carried out using nationally representative data from the TDHS-2008. The results show that after controlling for education level and current working status, the allocation of housework has a significant effect on the fertility intentions of women in the 25–34 age group; while the effect is not in the expected direction for women in the 15–24 and 35–44 age groups. It is concluded that the inconsistent levels of gender equity attributable to different social institutions has a decreasing impact on the fertility intentions of women in the 25–34 age group.