Rural Youth Outmigration and Family Dynamics in Ethiopia

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the various patterns of rural youth outmigration (permanent, temporary and planned) and assess their influence both on their parents' fertility, as well as their own transition to adulthood and family formation. The data come two quantitative samples: a targeted sample of 1098 rural origin, unskilled youth (aged 15-29) residing in Addis Ababa, and a stratified, random sample of 835 rural households in 4 districts and 8 villages in the two of the most important youth sending areas; and two qualitative sources, teenage (male and female) focus groups and adult key informant interviews. The complex decision-making process included peer influence, social networks, poor quality education, conflict over land and with their rising aspirations that the sending family can't meet. Education was the main reason for outmigration from Gojjam, and work-related reasons from Wolaitta. No evidence is found for the "replacement" fertility effect on migrant-sending households, and CPR is twice as high among migrants households as among non-migrant households in Gojjam. Transitions to adulthood were delayed through high school education, health workers, non-farm labor and urban residence which combined to delay marriage and reduce desired family size, as well as increase perceived migrant well-being