W. Indralal De Silva

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Family Transition in South Asia Determinants
and Implications
W. Indralal De Silva
Professor Head Department
of Demography University of Colombo Colombo
03 Sri Lanka
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What is family?
A group of persons (2 or more) related
through blood, adoption or
marriage   A person or group of
persons that usually living and
eating together  
What is Household?
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Family vs. household
Censuses and surveys usually
cover households, not merely
family households
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  Why study households?
Out of the total households overwhelmingly
large is family households. So
household is a proxy for a family
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   Ave. household size Declining?
 
Country 1970s 1980s
2000-05
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Fe. headed households () -  
INCRESING?
 
  Country 1990s Around
2000 Bangladesh 8.0 9.6 India
9.0
11.2 Nepal 12.0
16.7 Pakistan
7.0 - Sri Lanka
19.2
20.4
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  Why household size declining?
Fertility decline Marriage
dissolution Womens participation in LF
Migration and urbanization Displaced
refugees HIV/AIDS Attitudes towards
nuclearization  
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Fertility (TFR) decline
 
Around 2000
1980-1985
1990-1995
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Marriage dissolution
- INCRESING?
Percent of Widowed and Divorced Women of age
45-49  
Widowed
Divorced Country 1990s
Around 2000 1990s Around 2000 Bangladesh
15.9 18.3 1.5
2.7 India 12.5 13.3
0.2 0.3 Nepal 12.0
10.1 0.1 0.0 Pakistan
6.5 - 0.2
- Sri Lanka 12.4 10.4
0.4 0.5
Increasing separation has not been captured
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After marriage a couple usually
create a new family/HH
However marital unions are
disrupted by - Divorce -
Separation - Desertion - Death
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Growing proportion of
separations/divorces involve couples
with young children Such trend would
lead to a single parenthood as in the
West Fertility continues even in
advanced ages of reproductive span,
widows are often left with dependent
children to support
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Majority of migrants for contract
employment abroad are females (married)
Leave spouse children Adverse
incidents to family members
Costly price
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Consequences of Transition Ageing
retirement Declining fertility
mortality Increasing migration of young
persons Ageing is a demographic
outcome Support ratio will decline
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Percentage of population age 60 years
and over  
- INCRESING?
Country 2000 2025
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Ageing related issues
Social insecurity
Economic insecurity Insolvency
Loss of authority
Living arrangements
family care
Increased disability
Health care
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Main social security (physical,
emotional monetary) for the elderly is
provided by the family. However that is
eroding due to . Changing family
pattern size . High cost of living
(edu., health, Food etc.) . HIV/AIDS
. Weakening mutual support
individualism . Culture .
Content of formal schooling . Media
etc.
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Bulk of work in agri low income
. Farmers . labourers
. self-employment etc.
After retirement majority have no
definite income Hardship for the
family
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Due to many reasons social services had
become a burden on many governments in the
Region Welfare state is in a crisis
Severe cuts on social services Alternatively
community based services are promoted
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Nuclear family is in crisis thus making
social services needed Economics heavily
depend on the private sector
Governments are passing many
responsibilities it the priva. sector Are
they accommodating those!
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Thank You
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Internal Mig./Urba.
- INCRESING?
Percentage Urban 
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Large number of young males
females migrate Married women R
U . Change in nature of their
economic activity
Urbanization . Nucleation of the
family . Small average HH. size in
urban
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Social Services Programs that help people deal
with various social problems Social Security
Programs that provide social welfare for people
who could not meet their needs by open market
system or the family