Vienna Yearbook of Population Research 2012, pp. 77-94, 2013/01/16
This paper exploits a vast database of international census and survey microdatato examine the relationship between school enrolment on the one hand and thestatus of being in a union or a parent on the other among female adolescents andyoung adults in low- and middle-income countries. Our analysis is based onwidespread evidence for 55 countries among 15 to 24 year-old females. Highshares of student population are strongly correlated with low shares in spousaland parental roles between countries. We show that this relationship is driven bythe fact that students are less likely to be in spousal and parental roles comparedto non-students. Nevertheless, as we compare older ages, the share of studentsreported as spouses and/or mothers increases. The prevalence of spousal andparental roles among the student population is correlated to the overall levels ofspouses and mothers in the total population, even when controlling for the level ofschool currently attained.