Fertility Intentions and Gender (In)Equality in Türkiye: The Role of Household Labor and Gender Ideology.

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  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): Table 3: Fertility Intentions

Abstract

We examine the relationship between gender equality and fertility intention among men and women in Turkish society, a topic that has been largely uninvestigated. Using the novel data from the 2022 Turkish Covid-19 Values Study (TCVS), we specifically explore how the fertility intention of individuals is influenced by their division of labor in the household and gender ideology. Focusing on a sample of married men and women who are in their childbearing ages (N=388), our findings deviate from that of many Western European societies that find a positive relationship between gender equality and fertility intention. In the Turkish context, we find that unequal distribution of housework and childcare responsibilities do not emerge as significant predictors of fertility intention neither for men nor women. While less egalitarian gender attitudes are associated with greater desire to have more children for men, patriarchal values do not influence women’s future fertility intention. Instead, economic determinants play a central role in explaining women’s desire to have more children. That is, a greater economic difficulty leads to a lower fertility intention among women. Moreover, although having only one child does not significantly predict the intention to have more children for both genders, the likelihood of intending to have an additional child significantly diminishes for those with two or more children. Finally, age significantly predicts women’s fertility inclination but not men’s. Women who are younger show a greater inclination toward childbearing compared to their older counterparts.

Authors

• Ceylan Engin, Bogazici University

• Ladin Toplu, Bogazici University

• Eralp Kaan Karduz, University of Massachusetts-Boston