Interviewer instructions
Question C8
[Question C8 of the enumeration form is not presented here.]
Purpose
The purpose of this question is to obtain the current marital status of every individual whether never married, married, widowed, divorced or permanently separated.
Definition
Never married (Code 1)
This category is for persons who reported that they never married.
Married (Code 2)
This category refers to persons who are still married at the time of interview.
Here marriage includes marriage by law or living together by common agreement.
Marriage by law is marriage according to laws of the country. For example, registered marriage, civil marriage, marriage through religious rites and social customs.
Living together is agreement between man and woman to live together as "husband and wife" but do not register with the authorities.
Also included in the category of "married" are persons who are separated from their partner temporarily. For cases whose separation is long and permanent, they are to be classified the status which they regard themselves to be.
[p.118]
Widowed (Code 3)
A widow is a person whose husband or wife has passed away.
If a person was a widow before but has remarried at the time of interview, you have to classify he/she is "married", i.e. Code 2.
Divorced/permanently separated (Code 4)
This category includes married couples who have been divorced by law or religious rites.
Couples who are separated for a very long time and are unlikely to be together again have to be regarded as permanently separated.
How to ask the question
You have to ask the question as follows to the respondent:
"Have ____ (member's name) been married/never married, widowed or divorced/permanently separated?"
How to record the answer
Record the answer given in the relevant box.
Special note:
This question should not be asked for those aged less than 10 years.
For persons who have been divorced or permanently separated but have not remarried, they cannot be included in category "Never married" (Code 1). They have to be included in the category "Divorced/Permanently separately" (Code 4).
