Young womens work and family formation: a district study in Sri Lanka.

Patterns of family formation in Sri Lanka resemble those of wealthier nations with late marriage delayed childbearing and moderately low fertility. This paper addresses 2 questions--how have these family formation patterns emerged in the absence of the normally expected levels of economic development and what activities have occupied the time of young women in the premarital prechildbearing period? The paper draws upon data from existing census and sample surveys a set of focus group discussions on the rights obligations and aspirations of young women related to marriage work childbearing and childcare and a district sample survey of 1535 women ages 15-29. The study aims at providing a better understanding of the interplay of socioeconomic and familial forces that have mediated the status of young Sri Lanka women. (authors)