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The effect of education on the timing of marriage in Kenya

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  • Lawrence Ikamari

    (University of Nairobi)

Abstract

This paper investigates the effect of education on the timing of marriage among Kenyan women and the relative effects of education across generations of women. Data used is drawn from the 1998 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey. The Cox proportional hazard model and linear regression analysis are used to analyse the data. The results show that education has a statistically significant and strong positive effect on a woman’s age at first marriage; the effect remaining robust in the presence of a number of controls. The highly educated women are more likely to delay marriage. Significant variations in the effect of education across the generations of women are apparent. The effect is greater for the younger women, indicating increased postponement of marriage. Premarital sexual activity, premarital childbearing, region of residence, religion and year of birth are also significantly associated with age at first marriage.

Suggested Citation

  • Lawrence Ikamari, 2005. "The effect of education on the timing of marriage in Kenya," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 12(1), pages 1-28.
    • Handle: RePEc:dem:demres:v:12:y:2005:i:1
    DOI: 10.4054/DemRes.2005.12.1
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jejeebhoy, Shireen J., 1995. "Women's Education, Autonomy, and Reproductive Behaviour: Experience from Developing Countries," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780198290339.
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    Cited by:

    1. Jibrail Bin Yusuf, 2014. "Contraception and Sexual and Reproductive Awareness Among Ghanaian Muslim Youth," SAGE Open, , vol. 4(3), pages 21582440145, July.
    2. Hajizadeh, Mohammad & Nandi, Arijit & Heymann, Jody, 2014. "Social inequality in infant mortality: What explains variation across low and middle income countries?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 36-46.
    3. Rajat Deb, 2016. "Determinants of Savings in Sukanya Samriddhi Account: Evidence from Tripura," IIM Kozhikode Society & Management Review, , vol. 5(2), pages 120-140, July.
    4. Zourkaleini Younoussi & Yacoubou Alou, 2017. "Measuring the Influence of Social Mutations on the Precariousness of Women’s Marriage, the “Dismarriage”: Case of Niger Republic," International Journal of Social Science Studies, Redfame publishing, vol. 5(2), pages 43-54, February.
    5. Chen, Yi & Zhao, Yi, 2022. "The timing of first marriage and subsequent life outcomes: Evidence from a natural experiment," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(3), pages 713-731.
    6. Margaret Frye & Sara Lopus, 2018. "From Privilege to Prevalence: Contextual Effects of Women’s Schooling on African Marital Timing," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 55(6), pages 2371-2394, December.
    7. Acharya, Yubraj, 2018. "The impact of vitamin A supplementation in childhood on adult outcomes: An exploration of mechanisms, timing of exposure, and heterogeneous effects," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 201(C), pages 95-102.
    8. Paola A. Suarez, 2018. "Child-bride marriage and female welfare," European Journal of Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 45(1), pages 1-28, February.
    9. Stephen Gyimah, 2009. "Cohort Differences in Women’s Educational Attainment and the Transition to First Marriage in Ghana," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 28(4), pages 455-471, August.
    10. Kosec, Katrina & Mo, Cecilia Hyunjung & Schmidt, Emily & Song, Jie, 2021. "Perceptions of relative deprivation and women’s empowerment," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    11. Mary Crossland & Ana Maria Paez Valencia & Tim Pagella & Kai Mausch & Dave Harris & Luke Dilley & Leigh Winowiecki, 2021. "Women’s Changing Opportunities and Aspirations Amid Male Outmigration: Insights from Makueni County, Kenya," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 33(4), pages 910-932, August.
    12. Rania Salem, 2016. "The gendered effects of labour market experiences on marriage timing in Egypt," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 35(11), pages 283-314.
    13. Namho Kwon & Hosung Sohn, 2023. "The Effect of Age at First Marriage on Female Fertility: Evidence from Korea’s School Entry Policy Using Exact Date of Birth," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 42(1), pages 1-30, February.
    14. Yaya, OlaOluwa S & Amoateng, Acheampong Y, 2016. "Social Structure and Variation in the Family Formation Process: The Case of Age at First Marriage and Duration between First Marriage and First Birth in selected sub-Saharan African Countries," MPRA Paper 88825, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    15. Serap Kavas, 2022. "Early Marriage and Motherhood from an Intergenerational Perspective: The Case of Turkey," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 41(5), pages 2143-2175, October.
    16. Ssewanyana, Sarah & Ahaibwe, Gemma & Kasirye, Ibrahim, 2018. "Drivers for early labour market transitions of young women in Uganda: evidence from the 2015 school to work transition survey," Occasional Papers 276623, Economic Policy Research Centre (EPRC).
    17. Ann Garbett & Brienna Perelli‐Harris & Sarah Neal, 2021. "The Untold Story of 50 Years of Adolescent Fertility in West Africa: A Cohort Perspective on the Quantum, Timing, and Spacing of Adolescent Childbearing," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 47(1), pages 7-40, March.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    age; cohort analysis; education; marriage; Kenya; age at first marriage; determinants;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics
    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - General

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