R4D Migration

Global Forum on Migration & Development

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 01:00:00 GMT

The Development Research Centre on Migration, Globalisation and Poverty (Migration DRC) blogs from the Global Forum on Migration & Development, 2-4 November, 2009

The Nature of Migration and Its Impact on Families in Peru

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:01:00 GMT

Miscellaneous C. Lees 2009 Young Lives Student Paper, submitted in part fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of MSc in Economics for Development at the University of Oxford. 38 pp. This paper uses Young Lives data collected on young families in Peru in 2002 and 2007. Young Lives have discovered that this demographic sample have a fairly high propensity to migrate, and therefore it is interesting to examine the impact of these movements.

We disaggregate migration into rural‐to‐urban, urban‐to‐rural, urban‐to‐urban and rural‐to‐rural migration and compare the effects of these different natures of migration on household wealth. Difference‐in‐differences and propensity score matching are used to overcome the bias of time‐invariant unobservables, and instrumental variables are used to address endogeneity caused by time‐variant unobservables. We also look in more depth at why migrants moved, and the extent of relocation costs, proxied by distance.

The paper aims to test the traditional theory of migration as an investment: That households choose to migrate in order to gain net expected benefits, and that on average they succeed in doing so. Our results for rural‐to‐urban migrant families support this hypothesis. However, in our Peruvian data there is also a significant number of families moving in the opposite direction, out of urban areas, and this appears to be correlated with a general worsening in household wealth. The result that even the average urban‐rural migrant family experiences a substantial decline in wealth is inconsistent with the notion of migration as a rational choice, unless other, perhaps more long‐term, benefits of urban‐rural migration outweigh the short‐term deterioration in our wealth variable, or the counterfactual outcome of remaining in the urban area was expected to have been even worse, due to an unobserved adverse shock. We attempt to address the endogeneity raised by the latter case, by instrumenting for urban‐rural migration using previous migration, but conclude that this instrument may in fact serve to reinforce the argument of reverse causality; that former migrants are more likely to suffer from adverse shocks, which 'push' them into return migration.

Ten years of 'war against poverty': what have we learned since 2000 and what should we do 2010-2020?

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 01:00:00 GMT

The Chronic Poverty Research Centre (CPRC) is calling for papers on poverty research for presentation at an international conference in Manchester, 8-10 September 2010

This is Open Access Week

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 01:00:00 GMT

This week, 19-23 October 2009, is the first International Open Access Week, which aims to broaden awareness and understanding of Open Access.

Making Migration Work for Development

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 11:12:00 GMT

Miscellaneous Development Research Centre on Migration, Globalisation and Poverty (Migration DRC) 2009 Development Research Centre on Migration, Globalisation and Poverty, Brighton, UK, 48 pp. This report is a summary of six years of investigation into migration policy and practice. The economic value of migration to poor countries is already well-established, with migrant workers sending over $300bn to developing countries, around four times global aid flows. However, the Centres findings indicate that for migration to have its full developmental impact, the most beneficial policy change would be to reduce barriers to migration, at all levels and particularly for the poorest. Yet according to the findings report, policy on migration in developing countries remains fragmentary, and there is still a lack of consensus on what pro-poor migration policies should look like in poor countries. Professor Richard Black, the Centres Director, said: Our research shows that migration can be seen as part of the solution to problems of underdevelopment. Instead, most governments still assume that more development is the solution to problems of migration. In many cases, migration of poor people helps reduce poverty, improve educational attainment and increase gender equality. But government policies matter a great deal in facilitating such positive change by migrants.

Key findings in the document, which includes links to core research and policy briefings produced by Migration DRC, include:

Poor people are more likely to travel and work within or between poor countries, yet they are often ignored in international debates about migration;
Migration, particularly among the young, often stimulates investment in education, either in the country of origin or destination.
Where poor people have a greater choice in terms of migration destinations, the net effect on inequality is more likely to be positive.
Skilled migration is largely a symptom, not a cause of underdevelopment.

Policies that support migrant communities can contribute to the development of their countries of origin; migrants do not need to return to be effective and sustainable. The Centres work has included the compilation of data on migration flows, with an emphasis on those previously least well-represented; analysis of the links between migration, globalisation and poverty and reviews of emerging migration issues and policies. Field research was conducted in a number of countries in West Africa, South Asia, the Middle East and South-East Europe. This work has resulted in the compilation of a number of robust databases and user-friendly web resources; the production of more than 40 working papers and 50 refereed journal articles or book chapters; and new conceptual approaches in areas that include, but are not limited to, the migration of children and youth; mobility of highly-skilled professionals; and social protection by and for migrant workers.

Global Development Awards and Medals Competition 2009. Deadline Extended

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 01:00:00 GMT

The Global Development Network invites researchers from developing and transition countries to submit new research proposals and completed research papers on the themes of globalization, regulation and development, international migration, and regional integration

Child Migration Research Network website

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 15:44:00 GMT

Miscellaneous 2009 The Child Migration Research network (CMRN) has been established to help assess the impact of migration on children and youth. The aim of the CMRN is to bring together researchers who look at how migration affects children and to highlight research work, especially that in grey literature or other hard to reach sources, that focuses on this area. It has grown out of work carried out by researchers at the Development Research Centre on Migration, Globalisation and Poverty. The Migration DRC is devoted to promoting policies to maximise the benefits and minimise the risks of migration for poor people. Its research on young people focused on the independent migration of children and youth and began to bring together researchers and practitioners working with children affected by migration. Although there is some research that looks at children in the developed world who are first, second or even third generation migrants and how migration affects their education, health, cultural life and myriad other aspects, the focus of the CMRN is mainly on children and young people in developing countries or those subject to the immigration policies of developed countries.

Migration, Poverty Reduction Strategies and Human Development

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 15:21:00 GMT

Miscellaneous R. Black and J. Sward 2009 Human Development Research Paper 2009/38, UNDP. 41 pp. This paper focuses on the specific question of how Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs) address migration and its potential to enhance human development at the national level. Based on a review of PRSPs completed since 1999, it argues that migration often remains poorly recognised or analysed in poorer countries in terms of its impacts on poverty reduction, whilst attitudes towards migration in these countries are often highly negative and/or based on limited evidence, especially in relation to internal migration. Analysis of how both internal and international migration are treated in PRSPs is also placed in the context of a broader understanding of the purpose of, and constraints faced by the PRS process.

The paper goes on to highlight the extent to which in Sub-Saharan African countries, successive drafts of PRSPs have shown increasing attention to migration. It also considers how analysis of the problems and opportunities associated with different types of migration are converted into policy initiatives, highlighting the lack of good practice in terms of the incorporation of migration into human development policy.

Working Paper T30. Social Protection for Migrant Labour In the Ghanaian Pineapple Sector.

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 15:11:00 GMT

Miscellaneous S. Barrientos, J. Anarfi, N. Lamhauge, A. Castaldo, and N. Akua Anyidoho 2009 WP-T30, Sussex, UK, DRC on Migration, Globalisation and Poverty, 51 pp. The expansion of export production for global supermarkets has generated new employment channels for internal rural-rural migrant workers in Africa. Yet analysis of migrant labour in the global economy tends to focus on rural-urban migration or the movement of workers across international borders. Internal migrant labourers work at the interface of the advancing commercialisation of global agriculture and of more traditional forms of rural livelihood generation. Agro-export production involves inherent risks, particularly from commercial shocks as consumer trends change. How the benefits and risks affect migrant workers is little understood. To what extent do migrant workers gain from incorporation into agro-exports? What are the avenues for protection of migrant workers in a rapidly changing global economy? How can strategies be enhanced to reduce the impact of negative shocks on migrant labour?

This paper examines these questions based on a study of the pineapple export sector in Ghana. This is a new and growing export crop, contributing to the role of agro-exports in reducing poverty within Ghana. Ghana's pineapple export sector has grown rapidly between 1986 and 2002, with production increasing from 2,600 to 42,000 metric tons. Production for export is based mainly in the Eastern Region, in locations north of Accra. The main export destinations are in Europe (particularly Germany and the UK), where supermarket retailing is becoming the dominant retail outlet. Supermarkets have increasingly required compliance with standards relating to agricultural practice (eg. Eurep-gap) and social compliance. More recently there has been a move by some producer and exporter groups to become Fairtrade and Organic accredited.

Pineapple production is labour intensive, and case studies indicate that approximately one third of workers are migrants from other regions within Ghana, particularly the Volta and Central Regions. The aim of the project was to assess the comparative risks and vulnerabilities faced by internal migrant workers in pineapple exports, what channels for social protection are open to them, and how they can be made more effective for migrant workers. The risks these workers face were highlighted in 2002-4 when a sudden switch by global supermarkets took place from the traditional pineapple variety grown in Ghana to a new variety (MD2). Much of the production of Sweet Cayenne went unsold and exporters failed to meet payment obligations. Small-scale producers were least able to cope or make the switch. Many migrant workers were made unemployed or went unpaid. Children were withdrawn from school as the crisis hit household incomes. This highlights the importance of protection for migrant workers in a sector subject to commercial shocks.

Briefing Paper No. 19. Diaspora and Development: Building Transnational Partnerships.

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 15:01:00 GMT

Miscellaneous J. Sward 2009 DRC on Migration, Globalisation and Poverty, Brighton, UK, 4 pp. The role of diaspora groups in development strategies, poverty reduction and economic growth has attracted considerable policy interest in recent years, but it is not always clear to governments or development actors how they can best engage with diasporas. This briefing explores some of the ways in which diasporas have been actively involved in development efforts, often of their own accord. It also considers some of the ways in which development actors, including country-of-origin and host-country governments, have sought to engage with diaspora groups. In conclusion, the briefing provides some policy suggestions for those who wish to partner with diasporas in development, based on current good practice.

DFID releases a new project database

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 01:00:00 GMT

Information about projects funded by DFID, ranging from emergency aid for countries affected by conflict or humanitarian crises, to ongoing support to improve health, education and sanitation in the poorest countries, is now available online.

Child and Youth Migration in West Africa: Research Progress and Implications for Policy. Accra, Ghana, 9th-10th June, 2009

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 11:39:00 GMT

Miscellaneous 2009 The Development Research Centre on Migration, Globalisation and Poverty (Migration DRC) and the Centre for Migration Studies (CMS) at the University of Ghana co-hosted a workshop entitled Child and Youth Migration in West Africa: Research Progress and Implications for Policy at the Alisa Hotel in Accra 9th-10th June, 2009.

Attached documents are the meeting report, list of attendees, programme, and Abstracts (in English and French). A link is provided to the meeting website, where the conference presentations and papers can be downloaded.

DFID seeks applications for three posts in the Research Uptake Team

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 01:00:00 GMT

DFID is seeking to fill three posts in the Research Uptake team within the Policy and Research Directorate - Team Leader and two Research Evidence Brokers

DFID Research Programme on Migration and Development - Call for Expressions of Interest

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 01:00:00 GMT

DFID has issued a call for expressions of interest to design, develop and implement a research programme on migration and development. The research programme will address the important gaps in existing knowledge by providing a strong basis of evidence and analysis to inform and influence policy makers

Policymakers in rich countries drive the health migration crisis.

Wed, 27 May 2009 14:32:00 GMT

Miscellaneous Pond, B.; McPake, B. 2006 id21 Research Highlight, 8 November, 2006.

Current Crises and New Opportunities: registration is now open for the DSA Annual Conference 2009

Wed, 27 May 2009 01:00:00 GMT

Registration is now open for the 2009 Development Studies Association (DSA) Annual Conference to be held 2nd - 4th September 2009 at the University of Ulster, Coleraine Campus

Gender Differences in Migration Opportunities, Educational Choices and Wellbeing Outcomes.

Mon, 18 May 2009 15:54:00 GMT

Miscellaneous Nitya Rao 2009 Sussex, UK, DRC on Migration, Globalisation and Poverty, 73 pp. This paper has emerged out of research conducted in two villages each in Bangladesh and Jharkhand state in India with support from the Development Research Centre on Migration, Globalisation and Poverty. The main research aims were:

a) To identify the linkages between migration opportunities, both perceived and actual, and the educational decisions/choices of boys and girls on outcomes in terms of emigration, education, skill formation and work, in the context of globalisation.
b) To understand the perceived contribution of migration and mobility to enhancing earnings, and also to the building of social and symbolic capital and gendered identities.

Briefing Paper No. 18. Staying Behind When Husbands Move: Womens Experiences in India and Bangladesh

Mon, 18 May 2009 15:46:00 GMT

Miscellaneous Deeptima Massey 2009 DRC on Migration, Globalisation and Poverty, Brighton, UK, 4 pp. The aim of this briefing is to summarise the effects of the temporary absence of migrant men on womens livelihoods in rural West Bengal, India, and northern Bangladesh. It discusses how temporary work migration by men often increases insecurity in women and children living in poor households, by leading to food shortages, financial pressure or ill-health. In these instances, informal social protection from kin or social relations can be instrumental in reducing and overcoming insecurity and hardship for those women who stay behind. Despite the increased risks, the temporary absence of migrant men can sometimes facilitate greater autonomy for women, allowing them to manage their own work and take decisions on household needs.

Call for abstracts for the 2009 Development Studies Association (DSA) Conference

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 01:00:00 GMT

Call for Abstracts for the themed panels of the Development Studies Association (DSA) Conference 2009

New report on xenophobic violence in South Africa

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 01:00:00 GMT

A new report from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), of a DFID-funded study into the xenophobic violence that occurred in May 2008 in South Africa, has recently been published.

Rights of the Camp-dwelling 'Bihari' Community in Bangladesh

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 01:00:00 GMT

In 2007 the government of Bangladesh decided to award citizenship rights to a disenfranchised ethnic grouping, the Bihari, following a campaign by the DFID-funded Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit

The Numbers Game: Global Migrant Origin Database

Fri, 14 Dec 2007 01:00:00 GMT

Researchers at the DFID-funded Migration DRC tackled the key issue of lack of migration statistics by creating a unique picture of migration, providing bilateral data for the year 2000 for each of 226 countries in the world

Migration and rural-urban linkages

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Completed The DAC/POVNET Agriculture Task Group is currently working on a programme of policy development which seeks to address the changing context for agriculture in developing countries and to establish what policy implications these changes have for donor policies for poverty reduction. The Group will identify how donor policies should be adapted to promote pro-poor growth agriculture development in the new context by in-depth assessments of four main themes: changing demand and supply; global food chains; linkages between rural and urban areas; and chronic poverty. The programme seeks to establish what the impact of changes in these areas will be on agriculture in developing countries and on how they affect the rural poor in particular. Both the DFID-WB Partnership and DFID's Natural Resources and Agriculture Team are contributing to the programme through the provision of overviews and more in-depth assessments of specific issues in the areas of access to markets and risk/vulnerability. Consultant to prepare an issues paper on migration and rural-urban linkages for the DAC POVNET Agriculture Task Group meeting in June 2004. The paper shows that internal migration can reduce poverty and contribute positively to agricultural development. It argues that governments should find ways of supporting migration rather than controlling it. To address papers on:
*Migration and Rural - Urban and its Relevance to Policy for Rural Poverty Reduction.
*The Implications of Rural-Urban Change for the Rural Poor and Rural Poverty Reduction Policy.
*The Role of Small Urban Centres / Market Towns and the Value of Regional Approaches to Rural Poverty Reduction Policy.
*Global Food Chains.
*Buyer-driven chains - demand-driven chains.
*Bulk commodity chains - supply-driven chains. Paper prepared and presented at the meeting.

Migration, Globalisation and Poverty (Migration DRC)

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Current In the past, migration has generally been seen as reflecting the failure of development, or worse, as contributing to a vicious circle in which poverty is reinforced. However, there is now growing recognition that migration, whether internal or international, can also represent an important route out of poverty. Evidence suggests that migration can have significant positive impacts on livelihood and well-being, though it also carries costs and risks that may be borne disproportionately by the poor, and may increase inequality.

The critical challenge that remains is to understand under what conditions the positive impacts of migration on poverty can be enhanced, or the risks and costs of migration to the poor reduced. This understanding can be used to underpin new policy approaches that maximise the benefits of migration for the poor, whilst minimising the costs.

Together with partners from South Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Central and Eastern Europe, the Centre will undertake a programme of research, capacity-building, training and promotion of dialogue to provide the strong evidential and conceptual base needed for such new policy approaches. This knowledge base will also be shared directly with poor migrants, contributing both directly and indirectly to the elimination of poverty. Together with partners from South Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Central and Eastern Europe, the Centre is undertaking a programme of research, capacity-building, training and promotion of dialogue to provide the strong evidential and conceptual base needed for such new policy approaches. This knowledge base will also be shared directly with poor migrants, contributing both directly and indirectly to the elimination of poverty. Development and dissemination of knowledge on how the positive impact of migration on poverty can be enhanced, or the costs and risks of migration to the poor reduced.

Build the capacity of a range of institutions and other target audiences to explore the significance of migration in poverty reduction.

Application of knowledge and capacity by target audience (including DFID) to influence policy and programme implementation. Understanding of the influence of migration on poverty widely promoted. Production of high quality and poverty focused research has been fully achieved. Some of the research outputs for 2008 exceeded projections, particularly on publications. The DRC and its products have been cited in in many publications and has continued to receive requests for specific researches on aspects of migration. Migration DRC researchers have been involved in preparations for UN High-Level Dialogue on migration. DRC partners have been working with policymakers in their own countries in setting out responses to migration challenges. Partnership with University of Ghana has contributed to the establishment of the Migration Centre in Ghana. In Bangladesh, the partner organisation is very influential with policy makers and has seen a partial lifting of restrictions on female migration.

R4D Migration

Global Forum on Migration & Development

The Nature of Migration and Its Impact on Families in Peru

Ten years of 'war against poverty': what have we learned since 2000 and what should we do 2010-2020?

This is Open Access Week

Making Migration Work for Development

Global Development Awards and Medals Competition 2009. Deadline Extended

Child Migration Research Network website

Migration, Poverty Reduction Strategies and Human Development

Working Paper T30. Social Protection for Migrant Labour In the Ghanaian Pineapple Sector.

Briefing Paper No. 19. Diaspora and Development: Building Transnational Partnerships.

DFID releases a new project database

Child and Youth Migration in West Africa: Research Progress and Implications for Policy. Accra, Ghana, 9th-10th June, 2009

DFID seeks applications for three posts in the Research Uptake Team

DFID Research Programme on Migration and Development - Call for Expressions of Interest

Policymakers in rich countries drive the health migration crisis.

Current Crises and New Opportunities: registration is now open for the DSA Annual Conference 2009

Gender Differences in Migration Opportunities, Educational Choices and Wellbeing Outcomes.

Briefing Paper No. 18. Staying Behind When Husbands Move: Womens Experiences in India and Bangladesh

Call for abstracts for the 2009 Development Studies Association (DSA) Conference

New report on xenophobic violence in South Africa

Rights of the Camp-dwelling 'Bihari' Community in Bangladesh

The Numbers Game: Global Migrant Origin Database

Migration and rural-urban linkages

Migration, Globalisation and Poverty (Migration DRC)

Briefing Paper No. 18. Staying Behind When Husbands Move: Womens Experiences in India and Bangladesh