Poster session on International migration (1)

Increasing emigration and 'feminisation' of migration flows have raised concerns about the potential effects of migration on family life and children in particular. Previous research has investigated the links between migration and child emotional health ( Asis, 2006; Jones et al, 2004; Suárez-Orozco et al, 2011), but the limited number and cross-cultural applicability of available studies highlights the need to use a holistic, mixed-methods approach (Mazzucato & Schans 2011). This paper compares psychosocial well-being outcomes of children in two-parent homes to those in single- or no-parent homes due to parental migration. Data from 1,983 Moldovan households with children aged 0-18 will be analysed using probit regression analysis. Psychosocial health, the dependent variable, will be compared among children in two-, one-, and no-parent households by household migration type (current-, return-, or non-migrant). Further comparisons will be made by reason for parental absence (migration, divorce, death, etc.) in order to isolate the effects of parental migration. Covariates will include child/caregiver age and gender, household socio-economic status, and duration of parental absence. Results will be interpreted using information collected from 36 in-depth interviews conducted among children and their caregivers.

In times of economic downturns, the migrants’ workers in the developed countries bear a disproportionate risk of losing their job. Migrants’ labour market prospects are more sensitive to the depression than natives, because of an over-representation in economics sectors or regions directly touched by economic crisis. In general, the employment situation of migrant workers, especially of non-EU countries, deteriorated more rapidly than that of natives during the economic crisis. The education level of immigrant workers in European countries is also an important criterion to consider in analyzing the interactions between economic cycles, migrant workers and the labor market.

This paper analyse the impact of the global economic crisis on migrant workers in Europe. The aim is to investigate whether the impact of the current economic crisis affects non-EU migrant workers, differentiated by skill levels (three levels) and location in the economy, in traditional (France, Germany and United Kingdom) and new immigration countries (Italy, Ireland and Spain), using panel econometric methods.

The HIV epidemic is a serious public health concern globally. South Africa is home to the largest population living with HIV in the world (UNAIDS, 2010). Migration is an important factor in the study of the spread of HIV as the process of migration increases migrants’ susceptibility to HIV (IOM: 2010). There are approximately 1.6 million cross-border migrants in South Africa; this is equivalent to 3.4% of the total population (CoRMSA, 2009). Knowledge of one’s status is a crucial first step in management of the disease; however HIV testing remains a challenging aspect of public health programmes due to various social determinants of health, especially amongst key at risk populations such as migrants (WHO, 2010). Therefore, in order to expand our understanding of Migration and HIV testing; this quantitative study aims to investigate the determinants of HIV testing amongst migrants living in Johannesburg. Secondary data analysis will be conducted using the RENEWAL survey of 2008 comprising of 443 people stratified into international (n=293) and internal (n=150) migrants, compared with 44 urban natives. Analysis will be done at three levels: Univariate, Bivariate and Multivariate; Logistic Regression being the main model.
Key Words: Migration; South Africa; HIV testing; Determinants.

While population migration has been surging in China since 1990, little attention is paid to the impact of migration on children’s educational wellbeing. In this paper we analyze the micro-data of Chinese population censuses in 1990 and 2000 and mini-census in 2005. We match the school-age children (6-15) to their parents’ background information within the same households, and examine how parents’ migration status and family living arrangements affect children’s school enrollment status. We also compare migrants’ children to their peers in both origin and destination counties/districts. Results show that migration status per se has no clear impact on school enrollments since 1990; however, migrant children of rural status face disadvantages in educational opportunities in 2000 and 2005. Mother’s migration and living with relatives other than parents and grandparents have negative impact on children’s enrollment status. The distance and timing of migration also affect children’s enrollment status.

MIGRATION AND CULTURAL TRANSFORMATION OF DEORIS IN ASSAM

Dr. Sujata Deori & Dr. Niranjan Das

Abstract:

The Northeastern Region of India indeed presents a glorious example of diversity which is very well reflected in the mosaic of socio-cultural traits which are followed by myriads of distinct aboriginal tribal communities inhabiting this region. The Deoris amongst them are no exception to this rule. It is only about a century ago that they moved to their present settlements, and some of them still occasionally visit Sadiya for religious purposes (Gait, 1905). The term ‘Deori’ is attached to the religious or priestly functionaries of various tribal as well as non-tribal communities of Assam. At present, Deoris are mostly found in the eight districts of upper and middle Assam and in some pockets of Lohit and Tirap district of Arunachal Pradesh. The paper entitled ‘Migration and Socio-Cultural Transformation of Deoris in Assam’ analyses the causes of migration and consequent socio-cultural changes of Deoris that were firmly practiced in the pre- independent period.
Key Words: Migration, Community, cultural assimilation, cultural transformation

Historically, Guatemalans have suffered high rates of poverty and malnutrition while nearly ten percent of their population resides abroad. This investigation uses multilevel modeling to quantify associations among Guatemalan fathers’ and mothers’ migration, remittances and left-behind children’s well-being. Based on national-level data collected in 2000, the investigation’s major findings include: for every month a father was away from the household the previous year, a left-behind child aged <3 was 26.3 and 26.6 percent more likely to be stunted or severely stunted, respectively, while a left-behind child aged <5 was 16.2 percent more likely to be underweight. In contrast, the receipt of remittance income did not have a countervailing beneficial association with measures of stunting, severe stunting, or being underweight. The importance of these findings relates to parental goals for enhancing the well-being of their children. Many parents use international economic migration as a means to improve the livelihoods of their children. However, as the results from this study show, these altruistic actions may have an ultimate and permanent negative impact on their children’s well-being if the timing of international economic migration coincides with the critical, first three years of a child’s life.