The drivers of the fertility transition among women in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Congolese diaspora in Belgium

The drivers of the fertility transition among women in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Congolese diaspora in Belgium.

2021 | VUB

Summary:

This project aims to contribute to our understanding of the Congolese fertility transition by identifying the drivers. A mixed methods approach is used to answer the question as to which factors and changes in a woman’s life impact fertility and which ones do not. In a comparative perspective, the fertility of the Congolese diaspora in Belgium will also be examined to gain better understanding of the mechanisms through which the fertility transition is diffused, and of the effects of migration on fertility. Three specific research objectives are tackled: 1) providing an empirically grounded account of the fertility trends and determinants of women in DRC; 2) assessing and comparing the fertility of the Congolese diaspora in Belgium with their non-migrant counterparts in DRC; and 3) identifying the associated social, cultural, and environmental conditions and mechanisms.