Harm Caused by Us

Yadav, S.S.; Badari, V.S. : Age at effective marriage and fertility: An analysis of data for North Kanara. The Journal of Family Welfare. September 1997. 43(3).p. 61-66. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Age at effective marriage and fertility: An analysis of data for North Kanara Dr. S.S. Yadav and Prof. V.S. Badari Introduction From time to time, Indian demographers have advocated that the age at marriage of girls be raised so as to reduce the reproductive span of women, and thereby, bring down the birth rate. Some researchers [1-3] have estimated a 10-20 percent reduction in the birth rate if the age at marriage of girls is increased to 18-20 years while others [4-6] estimate it to be less than 10 percent. Despite variations in estimates, and depending on the assumptions made by the researchers, it may be concluded that delaying the marriage of girls would lead to some reduction in the birth rate. A recent review of the literature [7] shows that scant attention has been paid by researchers to the question of whether an increase in the age at marriage of girls does in fact result in controlling fertility or whether it is merely one aspect of social change which, in addition, involves changes in the roles of women and economic structures and fertility reduction. Further, the review suggests that late marriage may not automatically lead to lower fertility. Srinivas [8] and others [9-12] belong to the school of thought which considers increased age at marriage as one aspect of social change and plays no more than a supporting and secondary role in controlling fertility. This view is further strengthened by the findings of several other researchers [13-16]. According to Zachariah and Talwar, [15] only about 30 percent of the overall fertility decline in Kerala between 1965 and 1980 can be attributed to an increase in the age at which women married. Coale [16] attributes the decline in marital...