Family life cycle events and economic participation of women in Peninsular Malaysia

This is an exploratory study which seeks to investigate the relationship between selected family life-cycle events and participation in economic activity among women in Peninsular Malaysia. The family life-cycle events selected are first marriage and birth of the first child. Investigation into the work sequences of married women with children which would show the continuity of work participation of women following each life cycle event is also included. Comparison is made of economic activity of married women prior to marriage with activity after marriage. - Differences in activity rates by age, urban or rural residence, and ethnicity are also examined. Pre-marital work experience is an important predictor of current work status. Marriage and family formation tend to have a greater negative impact on the economic participation of urban women, indicating that these women perceive some incompatibility between work and bringing up children. The evidence also shows that work status in one interval is a useful predictor of subsequent work participation. A negative impact of marriage on the economic activity rates of women does not occur immediately after marriage. Many women in this study continue working up to the time they become pregnant or when their first child is born. Women who have been working between marriage and the birth of the first child are more likely to work later. There is also greater likelihood among women to continue working throughout their married life if they had worked after the birth of the first child