Migration dans l'enfance: mesure du phénomène et liens avec la scolarisation au Mali

Study conducted with the collaboration of Marc Pilon, demographer and research director at the IRD (French research institute for development). The data analysed are taken from general population and housing censuses in Mali. A brief description of four censuses is followed by an in-depth analysis of the two most recent censuses (1998 and 2009). In addition to the fundamental interest of the subject, one of the aims is to exploit census data which can provide answers to several research questions. In reality, census data in numerous African countries are not used to their full potential. The existence of data relating to place of birth, place of residence at the time of the census and the previous place of residence enable a “migratory status” variable to be created for children by combining the three places of residence. After examining the quality of the data collected and exposing the relative limits of the census data when seeking to define the migratory process, the main results are presented in terms of the intensity of child migration (at different ages and by sex), characterisation of the profile of migrant children, geographical approach, correspondence with schooling, highlighting of evolutions.