Rindfuss' study of the demographically dense' period among
American youth is applied in the Indonesian situation. The research
analyses data sets of :lie 1971, 1980 and 1990 Indonesian Population
Census and the 1997 National Social and Economic Survey. focusing on
women aged 15-24 years. Two hypotheses are examined for rite changes
between 1980 cmd 1997: (1) more women remained single and were likely
to continue education or join the labor force. and (2) pursuing education
was more dominant than pursuing employment. Two-thirds of women aged
15-24 remained unmarried in 1997. From 1971 to 1997. marriage and
attending school were becoming alternately exclusive, especially below age
20. Between 1980 and 1997, :lie percentage of those 'working' as main
activity dropped slightly, but attending school almost doubled. Another
measure, the percentage of women who worked at least one hour in :lie
previous week increased as women became older, but in overall it declined
within the 17-year period. Less-educated single women were more likely to
work. Mothers with young children tended to stay out of the work force.
especially or ages 15-19. Single women had higher unemployment rates
:nan ever-married women. Policy implications include improvements in
schooling and working conditions along will: delaying first marriage.
