A Comparative Study of Childbearing Desires of Shia and Sunni Kurdish Women in Rural Areas of Kamyaran

Any successful development and implementation of population policy in the field of fertility, is based on promotion of understanding and knowledge of the factors that affect women's fertility desires. The aim of this paper is to study and explain the childbearing desires of Sunni and Shia married Kurdish women in the range of reproductive age, living in rural areas of Kamyaran.Data were taken from the Kamyaran Fertility Survey (KFS) conducted on a sample of over 500 households in August 2014. Results showed that more childbearing desire is low among both religious groups. However, childbearing desires of Sunni women is a little more than Shia women. Among women who wished to have more children, a large proportion of them in both religious groups have stated that want to have one child more. This proportion among Sunni women (66.4%) is more than Shia counterparts (62%). The multivariate analysis showed that a combination of cultural, socio-economic and demographic characteristics have determinant and significant role in predicting the risk of women’s childbearing of both religious groups. Based on these results, government’s programs and policies to prevent the continuing of fertility decline or promoting it to replacement level should be in line with the demands and interests of women and families. Otherwise, the policies will face resistance and ultimately likely to fail.