Exploring the factors contributing to Rising Divorce Rates in rural and urban Zambia:

The influence of Phones, Education and Gender Based Violence

Abstract

Divorce has been on the rise in Zambia in the recent years, with various consequences on the people involved. Various factors have been highlighted as drivers of divorce in Zambia. This study sought to establish the factors influencing divorce in rural and urban Zambia using the 2018 Zambia Demographic Health Survey dataset. The study made use of descriptive statistics and logistic regression to establish the factors influencing divorce in rural and urban Zambia. The study established that there is a slight difference in the rates of divorce in urban and rural areas with urban areas having 14.8% divorce rate and rural areas having 12.3%. In rural areas, experiencing GBV, being employed, having a phone and access to internet, owning property (house or land) alone increase the likelihood of divorce while age, being from a rich household, owning property (house or land) lowers the likelihood of divorce. In urban areas, experiencing GBV, being employed, having a phone and access to internet, owning a house alone increase the likelihood of divorce while age, being from a rich household, having primary and secondary education, owning property (house or land) lowers the likelihood of divorce. The study recommends GBV prevention and support programmes, ICT usage awareness campaigns and marriage education and counseling across rural and urban areas to address divorce rates.