Impact of migration on poverty and development
Migrating out of Poverty RPC Working Paper 2
Abstract
Migration has become an integral part of the current global economy. Both internal and international migration can have major development and poverty implications for individuals and their families, for origin and destination areas, as well as for national economies. The aim of this paper is to review existing literature, and find evidence on linkages between migration and poverty, and between migration and development. Recently, evidence has emerged on the linkages between migration and development at both global and national levels. In the area of migration and poverty, however, conclusive evidence is yet to be revealed.
This paper reviews the literature on migration in South Asia, Southeast Asia, Southern Africa, East Africa and West Africa in order to highlight the complexity of migration patterns and impacts. It is also accompanied, where relevant, by evidence from Latin America and the Caribbean. It draws attention to the many types of migration including: internal migration; short-term international contract labour; cross-border mobility and regional migration and the different impacts that they have at the household level and beyond. The findings are presented under five broad headings: the impact of migration on individual migrants; left behind family members; community; local economies; and national economies of origin. The review was undertaken to inform the research strategy of the Migrating out of Poverty Research Programme Consortium.
Citation
Tasneem Siddiqui. Impact of migration on poverty and development. Migrating out of Poverty RPC Working Paper 2. Sussex Centre for Migration Research, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK (2012) 44 pp.