| Abstract: | The primary aim of the World Fertility Survey (WFS) program is to assist countries to acquire the scientific information that will permit them to describe and interpret the fertility of their populations. A 2nd purpose is to increase national capacities for fertility and other demographic survey research, particularly in developing countries; while a 3rd objective is to collect and analyze data on fertility which are internationally standardized and therefore permit comparisons between 1 country and another. The WFS studies are generally single-round surveys of households selected to provide a national probability sample, with information collected from eligible women with the help of a carefully designed individual questionnaire. The recommended WFS questionnaire consists of 7 sections: 1) respondent's background; 2) maternity history; 3) contraceptive knowledge and use; 4) marriage history; 5) fertility regulation; 6) work history; and 7) current husband's background. For countries wishing to investigate certain topics in greater depth, various modules have been developed by WFS which can be incorporated into the questionnaire. So far, 35 developing countries and 17 developed countries have been participating in the WFS program, including 14 ESCAP countries. 11 of these countries (Bangladesh, Fiji, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Republic of Korea, Sri Lanka, and Thailand) have already completed their 1st report and many have begun activities with regard to the 2nd-stage analysis of the WFS data. 3 of these, Nepal; Sri Lanka; and Indonesia; have also held seminars to discuss the survey findings and further analyze the WFS data. |
