Socio-Demographic, Cause, and Benefit of Internal and International Migration: A case study of Mazar-i-Sharif, Balkh province, Afghanistan

Abstract

Migration has a long history in Afghanistan, but it has increased remarkably over the last decade. This study examines the actual data of 1060 households in Mazar-i-Sharif, the capital of the Balkh province in Afghanistan to evaluate the main causes and benefits of migration. The data used in this study was obtained from a strictly random process. The study finds that the main reasons for internal and international migration are unemployment and income inequality, in addition to war and poverty, as international motivations for migration. Furthermore, the study demonstrates that households receive benefit from migrant remittances to increase their income and smooth consumption. Thus, the study suggests that to manage migration in Afghanistan, the government and international organizations should work together for peace and the reduction of poverty in Afghanistan to mitigate a further migration crisis in the future.