Female Migrants and the Transition to Adulthood in Greater Jakarta

This article examines the impact of internal migration, and its timing, on young women's transition to adulthood. Using the 2010 Greater Jakarta Transition to Adulthood Survey, we identify five key groups of women living in Greater Jakarta: those who were born there, those who migrated before the age of 10, those who migrated between ages 10 to 17, those who migrated after age 17, and circular migrants. Using retrospective quantitative data, we examine the timing of five key adulthood markers for each of these groups: leaving the parental home, leaving the education system, entering the workforce, marrying, and having children. We then explore the extent to which variation in education, marriage, and fertility patterns explain the women's current employment outcomes. Qualitative findings are also discussed to provide insights on migration motivation and the life strategies that these women adopt to navigate their transition to adulthood.