ABSTRACT
For Bongaarts (2001), a household is defined as a group of persons who make common provision for food, shelter, and other essentials for living. The composition of households is also not static; varied amalgamations of individuals make up households in Africa and elsewhere. The reasons contributing to the development of these households include HIV/AIDS and poverty. Rapid urbanization and slackened societal control also contribute to the growth of the latter group of households. The study has brought to the fore some social issues, in particular the high observed level and increasing percentage in Female-Headed Households (FHHs), which is likely to continue to rise because of the various factors are highlighted. Policy advocacy to promote the social relevance and economic empowerment of women should also be enhanced in order to broaden the measures to all sectors, while the promotion of girl-child education as obtains in most of the countries should be sustained to good effect.
