Gender and generation

There is common misconception that migration is a male issue. This may be due to weaknesses in data collection, spanning from failing to capture migration forms that women are more likely to engage in including shorter term, seasonal, internal, and circular migration, to constructing migrants as non-gendered while privileging the male experience.

Our projects in Bangladesh, Ghana and Indonesia have shed new light on the complexities surrounding norms and practices guiding the responsibilities of different household members, dependencies and interdependencies within families, and migration.

We have analysed men’s and women’s situation and through relating the observed practices to the gender positions available in their local society, and to the norms sketching these positions, we have identified some of the responsibilities and freedoms migration involve for migrants and for those staying behind.

We are currently analysing the wider and more long-term outcome for the social positions of adult and young men and women prompted by migration, access to income and/or remittances and the investments these may incur. This more detailed gender analysis helps us unpack what factors motivate the migration of particular social categories and the immediate and long-term impact of migration and the shifts to which it may lead. Evidence from the three case studies has potential interest for policy targeting development, gender equality, youth, migration among others.

More information about our 2015 gender-focused conference, Gendered Dimensions of Migration: Material and social outcomes of South-South migration