Nearly half of Zimbabwean men have never married according to new government data. The Zimbabwe Statistics Agency found that 45 percent of men aged 15 to 49 remain single. Only 48 percent of men live with wives or partners. Six percent are divorced and one percent are widowed. The agency released this information during a major health survey presentation yesterday.
Women show different marriage patterns compared to men. About 62 percent of women are married or living with partners. Twenty-three percent of women have never married. Twelve percent are divorced or separated from their husbands. The gap between single men and women reaches 22 percentage points.
Urban and rural areas differ greatly regarding marriage registration. City women register marriages with government offices at 16 percent rates. Rural women register marriages at only four percent rates. Just nine percent of married women across the country have legal marriage papers. Most couples skip formal registration procedures.
Child death rates improved over recent decades but infant deaths increased. Deaths of children under five dropped from 102 per thousand births to 69 per thousand. Baby deaths during the first year rose from 50 to 56 per thousand births. Deaths within the first month reached 37 per thousand births. Health officials plan to use these findings for better policies.
Women show different marriage patterns compared to men. About 62 percent of women are married or living with partners. Twenty-three percent of women have never married. Twelve percent are divorced or separated from their husbands. The gap between single men and women reaches 22 percentage points.
Urban and rural areas differ greatly regarding marriage registration. City women register marriages with government offices at 16 percent rates. Rural women register marriages at only four percent rates. Just nine percent of married women across the country have legal marriage papers. Most couples skip formal registration procedures.
Child death rates improved over recent decades but infant deaths increased. Deaths of children under five dropped from 102 per thousand births to 69 per thousand. Baby deaths during the first year rose from 50 to 56 per thousand births. Deaths within the first month reached 37 per thousand births. Health officials plan to use these findings for better policies.
