Abstract:
Fertility denotes successful production of offspring. It is the natural capability of living
beings to give life. In demography, fertility refers to the actual number of children born
rather than the physical capability to produce children (fecundity). Human fertility
depends on several factors such as nutrition, sexual behavior, culture, ethnicity, way of
life, use of contraception socio economic determinants, nuptiality patterns and emotions.
This study attempts to investigate the extent to which ethnicity and related factors have
influenced the rates of fertility within each of the ethnic groups selected in the study area.
As the main purpose of the study was to ascertain the region-specific differences in the
fertility levels between the Sinhala and the Muslim communities, the Dickwella D.S.
division in the Matara division was chosen for a close study. The reason being that, unlike
in the whole district of Matara where the population is comprised of three communities
namely the Sinhala (90%). Muslim (7%) and Indian Tamils (3%), the study area consisted
of the two primary communities chosen for this study, namely the majority community
(Sinhalese) and one of the minority communities (Muslims). Besides achieving the major
objective of analyzing the differences in the fertility levels between the Sinhala and
Muslim communities this study also aimed at identifying the factors that contributed to
these differences by investigating the extent to which the socio-economic disparities (if
any) had impinged on the differences in the fertility levels and the extent to which the
population policies at the national level had impacted on the fertility levels of the two said
communities.
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The methodology adopted in this study was mainly quantitative with some clarifications
sought through qualitative information. The sample population selected purposively was
from two Grama Niladhari divisions within the chosen D.S. division The relevant data
was obtained from a purposively selected stratified random sample of thirty women
representing different age groups and socio-economic levels. The data were processed
using simple statistical techniques. In the analysis of the processed data and the
interpretations of the findings qualitative information obtained on the cultural perspectives
of the issues in hand were used.
The outcome revealed that the levels of fertility between the two communities were significant.
A close study of the possible causes for the differences identified pointed to the mean age at
marriage and related factors and .adoption / non adoption of family planning methods and related
cultural factors as the major causative factors. Among the major inferences obtained from these
findings the differences pertaining to cultural practices appear to have been the most determinant