UNITED NATIONS ISSUES STUDY ON LIVING ARRANGEMENTS OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

6 February 1996

Press Release
DEV/2091
POP/604

UNITED NATIONS ISSUES STUDY ON LIVING ARRANGEMENTS OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

19960206 Study Finds Increase in Female-Headed Households Worldwide; Links Smaller Average Household Size to Declining Fertility Rates

NEW YORK, 6 February (DESIPA) -- As part of the ongoing effort to improve the status of women, the Population Division of the Department for Economic and Social Information and Policy Analysis (DESIPA) has issued a comparative study entitled Living Arrangements of Women and Their Children in Developing Countries: A Demographic Profile.

Issued at a time of unprecedented social, demographic and economic change in developing countries, the study -- which is based on data from the Demographic and Health Surveys, national population and housing censuses and the World Fertility Survey -- provides information which is helpful in determining the status of women. Improving the status of women has been seen as an important development strategy for the past two decades.

In a trend that is closely associated with declining fertility rates, developing countries have experienced a reduction in the number of family members who live together, according to the report. In the Republic of Korea, for example, average household size declined from 5.2 in 1970 to 4.1 in 1985. In Colombia, average household size dropped from 5.9 in 1973 to 5.1 in 1986. In Thailand, there was a decrease from 5.7 in 1970 to 4.6 in 1987.

Declining fertility implies that women have to spend less time in child- rearing. Thus, women in Ghana spend an average of 56 per cent of their reproductive years taking care of children under 5 years of age. That compares with a figure of 28 per cent for the women in Sri Lanka.

Women in the developing world continue to live in larger households than women in developed countries. The nuclear household remains the main living arrangement for married women in most of the countries examined. However, women in developing countries were still more likely to live in an extended household at some point in their lives.

The proportion of female-headed households has been increasing worldwide. Nevertheless, that proportion varies considerably among countries, particularly in the developing world, where it ranges from a low of less than 5 per cent in Kuwait and Pakistan to a high of more than 40 per cent in Barbados and Botswana (see accompanying table). In addition, households are more likely to be headed by women late in the life cycle, and that for a brief period.

A woman's marital status is a strong predictor of whether she is the head of household. In developed countries, the female head-of-household rate for formerly married women ranges from 60 per cent to 80 per cent. In developing countries, that figure begins at under 10 per cent and varies over a wider range. In developing countries, the female head of household is most likely to be a widowed women. In some developing countries, the head-of- household rate among widows exceeds that of divorced or separated women by more than 30 points.

Marital disruption is an important factor influencing the frequency of separation of mothers from their children. The relation between co-residence of mothers and children and marital disruption is strong, and varies based on the age of the children. Separation of children from their divorced or separated mothers is more common in sub-Saharan Africa than in other regions.

Marital dissolution also has a clear economic impact on the household. Divorced and widowed women tend to be at a disadvantage in the possession of household durables, unless they are living in an extended household. The participation of divorced and separated women in the labour force exceeds that of any other marital group in most countries where data is available. In Brazil, Mexico, Peru and Thailand, nearly two thirds of divorced or separated women of reproductive age engage in income-generating work. In Ghana, Indonesia, Togo and Zimbabwe, the figures exceed 50 per cent.

There are distinctive aspects of living arrangements at the regional level. In sub-saharan Africa, for example, households are larger and tend to include a high number of children and other family members. Given the persistence of high fertility rates, women's child-rearing responsibilities remain heavy. However, social organization in the region tends to foster the sharing of those responsibilities and benefits between parents and other relatives who do not necessarily belong to the same household.

In Latin America, there is less variation in the living arrangements of women and their children. The substantial fertility decline since 1970 has resulted in moderate household sizes. However, Latin American households do not exhibit the high prevalence of separate residences for parents and adult children as is seen in developed countries. Furthermore, with the exception

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of Caribbean countries, the co-residence of mothers and their children is high unless there is marital dissolution.

Based on the study, it would seem that the impact of demographic processes on the living arrangements of women and children in developing countries is still not well understood or measured. For example, it seems clear that declines in fertility result in smaller average household sizes. However, further information on the effects of changing mortality and migration patterns remain to be elucidated. Attention must also be given to the social and cultural processes that determine the variety of living arrangements in different regions.

Note:Living Arrangements of Women and Their Children in Developing Countries: A Demographic Profile (Sales No. E.96.XIII.5), is available at $25 per copy. It may be obtained from the Sales Section, United Nations Publications, New York or Geneva; and from major booksellers throughout the world. It may also be obtained by writing to the Director, Population Division, Department for Economic and Social Information and Policy Analysis, United Nations Secretariat, 2 United Nations Plaza (Rm. DC2-1950), New York, NY 10017, USA.