National surveyTheme

Transitions to adulthood: social context, education, work, and marriage among 15 to 24 year olds

ObjectiveTo establish a base of knowledge to facilitate national debate, action, and research on youth and adolescents

Sampling sites(October 2001–March 2002)

Azad Jammu Kashmir

Northern Areas

Rural

Urban

Framework for studying adolescents

Antecedents

Gender

Household economic status

Region

Parents’ characteristics

Opportunities

Schools/colleges

Jobs

Training centers

Health facilities

Leisure opportunities

Information

ConstraintsCommunity attitudes

Poverty

Social sanctions

Outcomes

Education

Work

Marriage

Childbearing

Social Dimensions

Mobility

57

26

39

13

9499 99

95

0

20

40

60

80

100

Neighbor Nearby shop School Nearby healthoutlet

Perc

en

t

Female Male

Able to go alone to:

Family reputation

Street harassment

Personal reputation

Family opposition/tradition

Parental concerns for girls’ mobility

Bad company

Drug addiction

Immoral activities

Personal/family reputation

Physical harm

Parental concerns for boys’ mobility

Young people’s participation in important life decisions

0

20

40

60

80

100

Male Female Male Female Male Female

Per

cen

t

Opinion expressed but not listened to by family

Opinion expressed and listened to by family

Education Work

Marriage55

69

54

29

13

63

Daily time allocation(15-19)

Male Female

All others

33%

Travel3%

School related

9%

Household chores

46%

Paidwork9%

All others

37%

Travel8% School

related18%

Household chores

10%

Paidwork27%

Education

Completion of primary school

2924

69 7166 64

81 81

0

20

40

60

80

100

15-19 20-24 15-19 20-24

Pe

rce

nt

Female Male

Rural Urban

Class at dropout by socioeconomic status

0

20

40

60

80

100

0 5 10 15

Class

Pe

rce

nt s

till e

nro

lled

High SES

Low SES

Male

Female

Average number of classes completed by SES (20-24)

0.61.4

3.3

7.6

4.2

5.2

6.9

9.3

0

2

4

6

8

10

Low Low-mid High-mid High

Mea

n hi

ghes

t cla

ss c

ompl

eted

Female Male

Reasons for school dropout

13

33

24

3

39

6

6

19

21

22

23

24

0 10 20 30 40 50

Poorperformance/expelled

Lack ofinterest/aptitude

Family responsibilities

School too far/ troubleon the way

Could not pay schoolfee

Parent's/Family'sdisapproval

Female

Male

Young people’s views about appropriate level of education

16

43

27

3

4738

0

20

40

60

80

100

Primary-Middle Secondary-HigherSecondary

Graduation-University/Vocational

Pe

rce

nt

Female Male

Work

Currently working for pay and willing to work for pay

0

20

40

60

80

100

Male Female Male Female

Perc

ent

Currently working Willing to work, if available

15-19 20-24

96

83

100

78

Ever worked for pay Socioeconomic status (15-19)

4739

28

16

76

5952

36

0

20

40

60

80

100

Low Low-mid High-mid High

Pe

rce

nt

Female Male

Trends in paid work

0

20

40

60

80

100

5 10 15 20 25

Female

Male

Age

Pe

rce

nt

15-19 20-24

Distribution of paid work

39

33

9

7

3

30

2

18

27

18

0 10 20 30 40 50

Agriculture/livestock

Stitching/embroidery/knitting

Skilled labor

Unskilled/factorylabor

Self-employed/business

Percent

Female

Male

Paid work and school status

Age

5 10 2015 24

Females

100%

80%

40%

20%

60%

5 10 2015 24

Males100%

80%

40%

20%

60%

Age

School onlyPaid work and school Paid work only Other

Domestic, paid and unpaid work (hours per day)

0

2

4

6

8

10

Male Female . Male Female

Ho

urs

Pe

r D

ay

Domestic chores Unpaid work Paid work

15-19 20-24

4.5

7.06.1

8.4

Puberty, Marriage and Childbearing

Percent married(20-24)

Male

Female

Source: Durrant 2000

0

20

40

60

80

100

1941 1951 1961 1971 1981 1991 2001

Year

Per

cent

Transition to puberty, marriage and childbearing

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23

Age

Pro

po

rtio

n

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23

Age

Pro

po

rtio

n

M puberty M marriage M W’s preg.

F puberty F marriage F pregnancy

Females married at each age by educational attainment

0

20

40

60

80

100

10 15 20Age

Pe

rce

nt

ma

rrie

d

Never attended school

Less than primary

Completed primary

24

Married and pregnant before 20(20-24)

5848

2823

0

20

40

60

80

100

Married Pregnant

Pe

rce

nt

Rural Urban

Antenatal care received by females for first birth

40 45

7178

0

20

40

60

80

100

15-19 20-24

Per

cent

Rural Urban

Contraceptive useamong married women (20-24)

1220

58

0

20

40

60

80

100

Current Use Ever Use Intended Use

Pe

rce

nt

Conclusions

Education

Young people’s aspirations for education exceed their current levels.

Young women are less likely to enroll and more likely to drop out, once enrolled.

Young people from the poorest families, especially girls, are particularly disadvantaged.

Employment

There are dramatic differences between young men and women in levels, types and hours of work.

Most young people, especially girls, want to work if opportunities are available.

Young people have limited opportunities for developing skills through work.

Marriage and childbearing

The gap between puberty and marriage is widening.

Most young women are unable to use the time between puberty and marriage for substantive skills-enhancing activities.

Childbearing follows marriage almost immediately.

Recommendations Functioning schools of reasonable quality

are a priority, especially for girls and for rural youth.

A healthy and growing economy is essential for the creation of adequate paid employment for young people.

Media should play a role to project positive images of women’s roles outside the home.

Young husbands and wives should receive counseling on delaying first birth.

Overall Recommendations

• A uniform youth policy is not suitable for

Pakistan.

• Youth programs and plans must be designed

to meet the needs of a diverse youth

population.

• Priority in all programs and plans should be

given to the needs of young women and poor

youth.