IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/joprea/v41y2024i4d10.1007_s12546-024-09345-y.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

War, school dropout and adolescent motherhood in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: evidence from the 2007 and 2013/2014 Demographic and Health Surveys

Author

Listed:
  • Guerschom Mugisho

    (Panthéon-Sorbonne University
    Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Démographie
    Université Evangélique en Afrique)

Abstract

Motherhood occurs early in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). According to the 2007 and 2013/2014 Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), about 19 and 21% of adolescents had at least one child during adolescence. In addition, during the First and Second Congo Wars, schools were closed, and many school-age girls dropped out of school as a result. This study aimed to analyze the variation in the risk of adolescent motherhood according to the war phases in the DRC and the effect of war exposure during primary school on the risk of adolescent motherhood. This study used pooled 2007 and 2013/2014 DRC DHS data, including 28,822 women. A discrete-time event history model was used to analyze changes in the probability of adolescent motherhood during the war phases. The Cox model was used to analyze the effect of exposure to war during primary school on the risk of adolescent motherhood. The findings showed a decrease in the probability of adolescent motherhood during the First Congo War and an increase during the Second Congo War, with a stronger effect in the Kivu region. In addition, exposure to war during primary school was associated with an increased risk of adolescent motherhood, with a less pronounced effect in Kivu. Teenage marriage and early sexual activity were the main mechanisms through which exposure to war during primary school increased the risk of adolescent motherhood. The First and Second Congo Wars caused girls in the DRC to drop out of school, exposing them to early sexual debut and adolescent marriages, which ultimately led to adolescent motherhood. To reduce the prevalence of adolescent motherhood, girls in the DRC need to be followed up and supported to complete their primary education.

Suggested Citation

  • Guerschom Mugisho, 2024. "War, school dropout and adolescent motherhood in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: evidence from the 2007 and 2013/2014 Demographic and Health Surveys," Journal of Population Research, Springer, vol. 41(4), pages 1-30, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:joprea:v:41:y:2024:i:4:d:10.1007_s12546-024-09345-y
    DOI: 10.1007/s12546-024-09345-y
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s12546-024-09345-y
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s12546-024-09345-y?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Islam, Asadul & Ouch, Chandarany & Smyth, Russell & Wang, Liang Choon, 2016. "The long-term effects of civil conflicts on education, earnings, and fertility: Evidence from Cambodia," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 44(3), pages 800-820.
    2. Chata Malé & Quentin Wodon, 2016. "Basic Profile of Child Marriage in the Democratic Republic of Congo," Health, Nutrition and Population (HNP) Knowledge Briefs 105918, The World Bank.
    3. Alissa Koski & Shelley Clark & Arijit Nandi, 2017. "Has Child Marriage Declined in sub-Saharan Africa? An Analysis of Trends in 31 Countries," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 43(1), pages 7-29, March.
    4. Anne Goujon & Wolfgang Lutz & Samir KC, 2015. "Education stalls and subsequent stalls in African fertility: A descriptive overview," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 33(47), pages 1281-1296.
    5. Peter Glick & Christopher Handy & David E. Sahn, 2015. "Schooling, marriage, and age at first birth in Madagascar," Population Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 69(2), pages 219-236, July.
    6. Andrew Bell & Malcolm Fairbrother & Kelvyn Jones, 2019. "Fixed and random effects models: making an informed choice," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 53(2), pages 1051-1074, March.
    7. Brian C. Thiede & Matthew Hancock & Ahmed Kodouda & James Piazza, 2020. "Exposure to Armed Conflict and Fertility in Sub-Saharan Africa," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 57(6), pages 2113-2141, December.
    8. Mercier, Marion & Ngenzebuke, Rama Lionel & Verwimp, Philip, 2020. "Violence exposure and poverty: Evidence from the Burundi civil war," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 48(4), pages 822-840.
    9. B. Piedad Urdinola & Carlos Ospino, 2015. "Long-term consequences of adolescent fertility: The Colombian case," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 32(55), pages 1487-1518.
    10. Øystein Kravdal, 2002. "Education and fertility in sub-Saharan africa: Individual and community effects," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 39(2), pages 233-250, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Powdthavee, Nattavudh & Oswald, Andrew J. & Lockwood, Ben, 2024. "Are environmental concerns deterring people from having children? Longitudinal evidence on births in the UK," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 220(C).
    2. Margaret Frye & Sara Lopus, 2018. "From Privilege to Prevalence: Contextual Effects of Women’s Schooling on African Marital Timing," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 55(6), pages 2371-2394, December.
    3. Paola Vesco & Ghassan Baliki & Tilman Brück & Debarati Guha-Sapir & Jonathan Hall & Stefan Döring & Anneli Eriksson & Hanne Fjelde & Carl Henrik Knutsen & Maxine R. Leis & Hannes Mueller & Christopher, 2024. "The impacts of armed conflict on human development: a review of the literature," HiCN Working Papers 414, Households in Conflict Network.
    4. Lockwood, Ben & Powdthavee, Nattavudh & Oswald, Andrew J., 2022. "Are Environmental Concerns Deterring People from Having Children?," IZA Discussion Papers 15620, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    5. Bove, Vincenzo & Di Salvatore, Jessica & Elia, Leandro & Nisticò, Roberto, 2024. "Mothers at peace: International peacebuilding and post-conflict fertility," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    6. Büttner, Nicolas & Grimm, Michael & Soubeiga, Sidiki, 2022. "Political instability and households’ investment behavior: Evidence from Burkina Faso," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(2), pages 350-368.
    7. Andrés Felipe Castro Torres & B. Piedad Urdinola, 2019. "Armed Conflict and Fertility in Colombia, 2000–2010," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 38(2), pages 173-213, April.
    8. Baron, Opher & Callen, Jeffrey L. & Segal, Dan, 2023. "Does the bullwhip matter economically? A cross-sectional firm-level analysis," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 259(C).
    9. Manasvi Sharma, 2024. "Ethnic fertility and exposure to armed conflict: the case of Sri Lanka," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 22(4), pages 1317-1351, December.
    10. Fávara, Marta & Lavado, Pablo & Sánchez, Alan, 2016. "Understanding teenage fertility, cohabitation, and marriage: the case of Peru," Avances de Investigación 0022, Grupo de Análisis para el Desarrollo (GRADE).
    11. Rashid Javed & Mazhar Mughal, 2020. "Girls Not Brides: Evolution of Child Marriage in Pakistan," Working Papers hal-03038355, HAL.
    12. Scherr, Sebastian & Reifegerste, Doreen & Arendt, Florian & van Weert, Julia C.M. & Alden, Dana L., 2022. "Family involvement in medical decision making in Europe and the United States: A replication and extension in five Countries," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 301(C).
    13. Nick Drydakis, 2023. "Parental unemployment and adolescents' academic performance," International Journal of Manpower, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 44(7), pages 1362-1381, February.
    14. Yana Akhtyrska & Franz Fuerst, 2021. "People or Systems: Does Productivity Enhancement Matter More than Energy Management in LEED Certified Buildings?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(24), pages 1-35, December.
    15. Chowdhury, Subhasish M. & Crede, Carsten J., 2020. "Post-cartel tacit collusion: Determinants, consequences, and prevention," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    16. Toger, Marina & Türk, Umut & Östh, John & Kourtit, Karima & Nijkamp, Peter, 2023. "Inequality in leisure mobility: An analysis of activity space segregation spectra in the Stockholm conurbation," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    17. Theodor F. Cojoianu & Andreas G. F. Hoepner & Xi Hu & Moustafa Ramadan & Paolo Veneri & Dariusz Wójcik, 2024. "Are cities venturing green? A global analysis of the impact of green entrepreneurship on city air pollution," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 62(2), pages 523-540, February.
    18. Peter J. Glick & David E. Sahn & Thomas F. Walker, 2016. "Household Shocks and Education Investments in Madagascar," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 78(6), pages 792-813, December.
    19. Anthony Mveyange, 2015. "On the fertility transition in Africa: Income, child mortality, or education?," WIDER Working Paper Series 089, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    20. Büttner, Nicolas & Grimm, Michael & Günther, Isabel & Harttgen, Kenneth & Klasen, Stephan, 2022. "The fertility transition in Sub-Saharan Africa: The role of structural change," Passauer Diskussionspapiere, Volkswirtschaftliche Reihe V-90-22, University of Passau, Faculty of Business and Economics.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:joprea:v:41:y:2024:i:4:d:10.1007_s12546-024-09345-y. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.