Migration Destination Research Articles

Building a Foundation for Health: A Review of Healthy Lifestyle Knowledge Among Indonesian Cleaning Workers in the Malaysian Cleaning Services Industry

Introduction: The global economy is affected by Indonesian migrant workers' destinations in Malaysia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Poor housing and cleanliness make it hard for Indonesian workers, especially cleaning service workers, to stay healthy. Employees in the cleaning service business may not understand how to manage their health or navigate the healthcare system due to health literacy issues. Indonesian workers in Malaysia are assessed for workplace health literacy and empowerment. Addressing these issues and improving health literacy can enhance public health, eliminate health inequities, and empower people to make health decisions. Methods: The cross-sectional accidental sampling study involves 23 Indonesian workers from a prominent Malaysian university. All Indonesian workers were given a full explanation of the 15-question healthy living questionnaire. Results: 47.9% of migrant workers had sufficient knowledge, 39.1% had poor knowledge, and 13% had good knowledge. Conclusion: Poor personal hygiene affects Indonesian workers in Malaysia, focusing on workplace health knowledge and empowerment. It stresses health literacy, especially for the poor. To improve public health, reduce health inequities, and empower people to make health decisions, these concerns and health literacy initiatives are crucial.

Tensions in Social Integration Based on Access to Health and Decent Work for the Migrant Population in Santiago de Cali

Cali, Colombia has been a destination for migrants from Venezuela, either to serve as a transit point or a settlement for those seeking better opportunities. This complex situation, within the context of an intermediate city located in the Global South, has led to unprecedented institutional challenges related to the assurance of Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ESCR), and even more, requirements for social coexistence. This paper aims to elucidate tensions that have arisen in the social integration of the migrant population in Cali, Colombia, based on the analysis of their access to health and work rights. The primary reference for this exploration is drawn from oral accounts provided by Venezuelan migrant participants residing in the city.

Patterns of inter-state irregular migration in Africa: insights from Ethiopian migrants to the Republic of South Africa

Recent research suggests a significant rise in both international and intra-African migrations, with South Africa emerging as the primary destination for irregular migrants in the region. However, the phenomenon of irregular migration to South Africa has received limited attention despite the growing number of migrants hosted by the country. To address this gap, this study adopts a concurrent cross-sectional mixed-methods approach to explore the patterns of inter-state irregular migration in Africa, specifically focusing on Ethiopian migrants to the Republic of South Africa (RSA). The investigation draws on quantitative data collected from 316 migrant returnees, as well as qualitative in-depth interviews and focus-group discussions. The findings of this study reveal that there is a decline in the patterns of Ethiopian irregular migration to the RSA within the past decade due to tight legal restrictions. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the pattern of irregular migration, leading to a decline in the number of migrants from mid-2018 to 2020 due to stringent border closures. Irregular migration to the RSA tends to be temporary, with an increasing migrants returning to their home country once they have achieved economic success or as they encountered precarious conditions at the destination. Addressing the root causes that drive migration, improving border control mechanisms, and implementing inclusive integration strategies are key steps toward minimizing the risks and maximizing the benefits associated with this migration phenomenon.

Maternal/paternal migration, delinquent friendship, and depressive symptoms among left-behind children in China

Massive internal migration in China has greatly disadvantaged children who are left behind. This study unravels the mechanism underlying the association between parental migration and children’s mental health through the lenses of social networks and gender. Using data collected in Sichuan, one of the provinces with the largest number of left-behind children in China, this study finds that maternal and paternal migration differ in their associations with left-behind children’s depressive symptoms. While paternal migration is not associated with children’s mental health, maternal migration is found to be significantly correlated with children’s depressive symptoms. Moreover, the negative association is also detected in children with mothers who returned from migration destinations. However, such an association does not vary between sons and daughters. We also find that the negative association between maternal migration and left-behind children’s mental health is partly explained by children’s delinquent social ties. Children who have experienced or are experiencing maternal migration are more likely to make friends who exhibit delinquent behavior. Such friendships are further associated with left-behind children’s vulnerability to depressive symptoms. This demonstration of the intersectionality of social networks and gender contributes to the literature on family, migration, and health.

Inter-voivodship migration in Poland in the 2000–2020 period based on Markov chain analysis

The paper presents the scale and directions of inter-voivodship migration in Poland in selected years of the 2000–2020 period. The study focused on permanent residence migration and aimed to identify areas of migration attractiveness and migration catchment voivodships. To study the stochastic nature of these migrations, a Markov chain model was used, in which the states were voivodships. An important aspect of the study involved determining the properties of the transition probability matrix as well as stationary probability in order to characterise the mechanism of inter-voivodship migrations in the years 2000, 2010 and 2020. Data obtained from Statistics Poland were used in the analysis. The transition probability matrix showed that the states were connected and irreducible to each other, while the stationary probability of migration to Dolnos´ al˛skie, Małopolskie, Pomorskie, and Wielkopolskie voivodships increased in 2020 compared to 2000. The analysis of the mechanism of migration in the years 2000, 2010, 2020 indicated that Mazowieckie Voivodship was still the main destination for migrants, with the highest stationary probability reaching 0.18 in 2010.

Internal Migration in Pakistan: Some Socio-Economic Determinants and Significances

ABSTRACT: Since early years, humans are migrating to ensure their survival or to improve their socio-economic position in society. In Pakistan, internal migration has not been given proper attention in policy making. Consequently, government is facing problems in managing the challenges and opportunities posed by internal migration. The present study attempted to analyse socio-economic factors that play crucial role in a household's decision to migrate internally by using data of Labour Force Survey 2020-21. In the questionnaire of labour force survey, there is a specific section related to migration. The migration is defined as 'households that has moved from one district to another district or to different country', it excludes the migration within district. The logit regression has been used to estimate the model. It has been found that more educated people particularly having professional and technical education tends to migrate. The internal migration increases with age, but after certain level it tends to start declining. It has also concluded that employment in public sector (due to job security or provision of housing facilities) motivate people to internally migrate. People belonging to middle income families are more likely to migrate in comparison to rich or very poor. Study confirms that search of better job opportunities and family compulsions are major factors in internal voluntary migration. However, law and order situations emerge as a significant factor in forced migration. As the internal migration are much higher than international migration so there is need that role of internal migration may be recognised in reducing poverty, employment and socio-economic development. Unfortunately, there exists lack of policy on internal labour flows. Most the labour force is not even registered at migration destinations. It is very crucial to calculate value of domestic remittances. It will be helpful in devising the policy to improve the status of internal migrants by providing them targeted technical and vocational education training so that they can get better job opportunities in destination places.

Миграционные намерения студентов медицинских вузов в Кыргызстане: Фактор риска и вызов для здравоохранения Республики

Physician migration challenges healthcare systems in developing countries. The “Irish paradox” phenomenon, where doctor shortages persist despite numerous medical graduates, is emerging in Kyrgyzstan (KR). Limited research on this exists in Central Asia. The study explores medical students' migration intentions, offering insights for regional and global health authorities. A cross-sectional study surveyed 526 final-year medical students in KR. We analyzed demographic characteristics, intentions to work abroad, future professional preferences, and “Pull and Push” factors for migrations that might influence students’ decision to migrate. 86.1 % expressed willingness to emigrate. Intention to migrate was categorized by certainty of migration: 12.5 % “leave KR”, 14.5 % “highly likely to leave KR”, and 59.1 % “might leave KR”. 13.9 % decided to stay in KR. The significant predictors of migration were marriage and rural living; the main migration destinations were Russia (41.5 %), Kazakhstan (18.8 %), and the EU (11.5 %). Pull and push factors significantly differed among groups. The main limitations of the study arose from the nature of the observational study. The study results are alarming, uncovering the potential scale of physican migration in Central Asia. The majority of medical graduates in KR plan to migrate, posing a threat to healthcare sustainability. The presence of the "Irish paradox" amplifies the pressure on these processes in the country and should be considered in the development of migration policy. Monitoring students' intentions provides timely information for adjusting migration programs promptly, and the combined score of Pull and Push factors might serve as an express test to address the challenge more effectively. Migration programs should be developed jointly with the Russian Federation, as the main destination and give priority to professional development in the group with low migration intentions.

Medical students’ migration intentions: Risk factor and challenge for the healthcare system in Kyrgyzstan

Physician migration challenges healthcare systems in developing countries. The “Irish paradox” phenomenon, where doctor shortages persist despite numerous medical graduates, is emerging in Kyrgyzstan (KR). Limited research on this exists in Central Asia. The study explores medical students' migration intentions, offering insights for regional and global health authorities. A cross-sectional study surveyed 526 final-year medical students in KR. We analyzed demographic characteristics, intentions to work abroad, future professional preferences, and “Pull and Push” factors for migrations that might influence students’ decision to migrate. 86.1 % expressed willingness to emigrate. Intention to migrate was categorized by certainty of migration: 12.5 % “leave KR”, 14.5 % “highly likely to leave KR”, and 59.1 % “might leave KR”. 13.9 % decided to stay in KR. The significant predictors of migration were marriage and rural living; the main migration destinations were Russia (41.5 %), Kazakhstan (18.8 %), and the EU (11.5 %). Pull and push factors significantly differed among groups. The main limitations of the study arose from the nature of the observational study. The study results are alarming, uncovering the potential scale of physican migration in Central Asia. The majority of medical graduates in KR plan to migrate, posing a threat to healthcare sustainability. The presence of the "Irish paradox" amplifies the pressure on these processes in the country and should be considered in the development of migration policy. Monitoring students' intentions provides timely information for adjusting migration programs promptly, and the combined score of Pull and Push factors might serve as an express test to address the challenge more effectively. Migration programs should be developed jointly with the Russian Federation, as the main destination and give priority to professional development in the group with low migration intentions.

Envisioning futures at new destinations: geographical imaginaries and migration aspirations of Nepali migrants moving to Malta

ABSTRACT Imagination is central to migration. Geographical imaginaries, often shaped by historical narratives and mainstream media, allow people to envision futures elsewhere and influence migration aspirations. Using interviews with Nepalis who migrated to Malta in recent years, this article seeks to uncover how people imagine new destinations about which they have limited or no prior knowledge, and how these imaginaries compare to those of established destinations. Through this lens, the article then examines participants’ aspirations to migrate to Malta. The analysis shows how participants contextualised the information they found about Malta by drawing extensively from imaginaries of better-known European destinations, in a mechanism I call spatial imaginary spillover. Participants moved to Malta seeking increased personal freedoms, rights and safety, economic stability and affluence, exploration and social prestige linked to migration to Western destinations. As such, Malta is part of a group of new European destinations for Nepalis that are more accessible than established destinations in the West, and which participants prefer over historical destinations for Nepali workers. This article provides novel insights into how imaginaries of new destinations and other unfamiliar places are produced, and how the lens of geographical imaginaries yields rich perspectives on migration aspirations and destination preferences.

Obstetric service demand is the main health need of the Vietnamese population in Guangxi, China: A cross-sectional study.

China has become an emerging destination for international migration, especially in some Association of South East Asian Nations countries, but the situation of migrants seeking medical care in China remains unclear. A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted in a hospital in Chongzuo, which provides medical services for foreigners, to investigate the situation of Vietnamese people seeking health care in Guangxi, China. Vietnamese patients who visited the hospital between 2018 and 2020 were included in the study. Demographic characteristics, clinical characteristics, characteristics of payment for medical costs, and characteristics of hospitalization were compared between outpatients and inpatients. In total, 778 Vietnamese outpatients and 173 inpatients were included in this study. The percentages of female outpatients and inpatients were 93.44% and 88.44% (χ2 = 5.133, P = .023), respectively. Approximately 30% of outpatients and 47% of inpatients visited the hospital due to obstetric needs. The proportions of outpatients with basic medical insurance for urban residents, basic medical insurance for urban employees, and new cooperative medical schemes were 28.02%, 3.21%, and 2.31%, respectively. In comparison, the proportion of inpatients with the above 3 types of medical insurance was 16.76%, 1.73%, and 2.31%, respectively. The proportion of different payments for medical costs between outpatients and inpatients were significantly different (χ2 = 24.404, P < .01). Middle-aged Vietnamese females in Guangxi, China, may have much greater healthcare needs. Their main medical demand is for obstetric services. Measurements should be taken to improve the health services targeting Vietnamese female, but the legitimacy of Vietnamese in Guangxi is a major prerequisite for them to access more and better healthcare services.

Intimacy, labour and sexual violence: Nama and Baster women in Namaqualand’s copper mining district, c.1879–1900

AbstractThis article explores the intersection of labour, sexual violence and intimacy in the late nineteenth-century copper mining district of Namaqualand, focusing on the impact of male labourers’ brutalities on local Nama and Baster women. Small in scale, lacking state interference and offering vast employment opportunities to women, Namaqualand’s mines and the towns that grew around them were a key destination for local female labour migration. Due to these unique characteristics, however, women were also exposed to unwanted attention and sexual abuse by male labourers, particularly miners. Women used the Cape’s legal system to protest, but the indifference shown towards their suffering by colonial officials and the public allowed men to use violence without much restraint, rendering women’s legal efforts futile. Ultimately, sexual violence reinforced gendered and racial hierarchies, restricting women’s socio-economic agency and autonomy. The article argues that these dynamics highlight the violent (re)shaping of colonial and patriarchal power asymmetries in the north-western Cape between two major colonial wars after the stabilization of the northern frontier by means of armed conquest.

Does Anyone Care? —The Prevalence of Forced Labor Among Kenyan Migrant Workers and the Glaring Need for Better Labor Conditions in GCC Countries

ABSTRACT Much media coverage in recent years has identified the abuses of migrant workers in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries (e.g. Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, United Arab Emirates [UAE], and Saudi Arabia), an increasingly popular migrant destination for Kenyan workers. Due to their unique geo-political and economic profiles, these countries with widespread human rights violations have remained non-responsive primarily to pressure from the international community. Importantly, these factors mask another critical gap in human trafficking research: the lack of reliable data and how best to collect it threatens the effectiveness of existing and proposed interventions in the GCC. To address this gap, this team sought to measure the prevalence of forced labor among recently returned Kenyan migrant workers from GCC countries currently residing in the Nairobi Metro area. Using rigorous estimation strategies in our data collection and analysis, we found that forced labor was pervasive among this population. Practically every Kenyan migrant worker who worked in GCC countries during the studied period could be considered a victim of forced labor. Most striking was the consistency in the high rates of violations across all measures, regardless of which set of indicators we applied in our analysis. Although abuses among migrant workers are not uncommon in wealthy nations, such high rates of forced labor violations in GCC countries are truly rare, if not unprecedented in current prevalence estimation research, and call for massive systemic efforts to address the situation.

BEYOND BORDERS: UNDERSTANDING THE SOCIETAL AND POLITICAL RAMIFICATIONS OF MIGRATION AND IMMIGRATION IN INDIA

India has been a significant source of human resources for many countries. However, it has also emerged as a destination for migrants from the African continent and neighboring Asian countries like Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar, seeking education and work opportunities. However, this influx of migrants and immigrants has led to various social problems and political challenges that require urgent policy attention. Within the host country, immigrants often face unfavorable conditions, uncertainty, and instability. The social problems resulting from migration and immigration in India encompass poverty, acculturation, education, housing, employment, social adjustment, and family difficulties. These challenges demand a comprehensive understanding and effective policy measures. In addition to the social issues, immigration and migration have significant political consequences. Questions arise regarding political inclusion, political liberties, effects on political stability, and potential implications for conflicts and wars. It is essential to address these political aspects to ensure a harmonious and sustainable social and political environment. This paper delves into a thorough analysis of the social problems and political challenges arising from immigration and migration within India. It takes into account both international immigration and internal migration, providing a holistic perspective on the issue. To tackle the identified social problems and political challenges, this paper proposes policy statements that prioritize the interests of all stakeholders involved, including the host country, the country of origin, local communities, and the immigrants and migrants themselves. The aim is to foster an inclusive and cooperative approach towards addressing these issues effectively.

Green infrastructure for ecosystem resilience

Green infrastructure for ecosystem resilience Mita Drius and Luana Silveri from the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, explain fostering green infrastructure for ecosystem resilience in Alpine regions. The FRACTAL model, we hear, is a bottom-up all-round approach. In the last century, human population growth and industrial development have led to the depletion of natural resources, ecosystem degradation, and a worrying change in global climatic conditions. Habitat and ecosystem fragmentation due to land use change is recognised as one of the most striking threats to biodiversity. Fragmentation of habitats alters species’ normal life cycle and ecology by preventing them from reaching their migration and dispersal destinations.

Life in Motion: Mobility and Identity among Russian Migrants in the South Caucasus

The South Caucasus has emerged as a prominent destination for migrants from Russia following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The essay highlights both the complex and heterogeneous nature of current migration from Russia to the South Caucasus and the challenges inherent in categorizing and grouping diverse migrant communities. Describing the identity of migrants, we focus on the actual moment of moving from Russia to Armenia or Georgia, living in these countries, and the panorama of staying, returning, or leaving for a third place. Many people from the current wave of migration are engaged in remote work, primarily in the IT sector, and have a relatively high income compared to the host community.This trend to seek temporary residence in countries with milder climates and lower living costs, combined with remote work opportunities, is shared by lifestyle migrants, winter tourists, digital nomads, and Russians who fled in 2022. Looking at such new types of migration, researchers have criticized the privilege and inequality of this lifestyle, as well as their weak involvement in the local agenda. However, it is noteworthy that these communities of migrants are characterized by practices of mutual assistance and a commitment to ecological values, which in turn foster attention to the local environment. The essay describes volunteer practices and explores the concept of disengagement from civic life inherent in lifestyle migration or nomadism. Text in English

Spatial exploration of rural capital contributing to quality of life and urban-to-rural migration decisions: a case study of Hokuto City, Japan

Globally, urbanization constitutes one of the major underlying drivers of global ecological degradation. Hence, deurbanization, i.e., demographic shift from urban to distant rural areas in a way that increases quality of life (QoL), can be one of the key pathways to address this global challenge. In this study, we investigated the contribution of nature and other types of rural capital to QoL and to people’s decision to migrate from urban to rural areas by studying residents in Hokuto City, a popular urban-to-rural migration destination in Japan. An integrated analysis of the 414 responses to a questionnaire survey and open and commercial geospatial datasets representing natural, built, human, cultural, and financial capital revealed the contributions of specific elements of rural capital to people’s QoL. These included natural capital (farmland, symbolic natural sites, mountain peak view, lower temperature, and tranquility), built capital (highways, railway stations, shops, and restaurants), and financial capital (employment). Many of these are related to the reasons that migrants, including return and one-way migrants, chose their present home location in Hokuto City, indicating their intention to increase QoL by migration. Particularly, one-way migrant homes were located predominantly on higher up mountain slopes with lower temperatures, higher forest cover, near natural parks, and symbolic natural sites, and yet with easier access to railway stations and employment. These results provide a valuable evidence base for rural spatial planning for increased QoL and attracting migrants that considers ecological–social feedbacks, and hence supports deurbanization.

KEGIATAN SOSIALISASI TUKANG KEGIATAN REHABILITASI RUMAH TIDAK LAYAK HUNI KECAMATAN BALARAJA KABUPATEN TANGERANG

The construction of the Gebrak Pakumis House is part of the commitment of the Tangerang Regency Government which is managed by the Tangerang Regency Housing and Settlement Service in the renovation program for uninhabitable houses belonging to poor residents. Balaraja District, Tangerang Regency, which borders directly with DKI Jakarta Province, is one of the many destinations for migrants outside the residential areas of residents who work around the area. Residential land is getting narrower day by day because most of the area is used as residential areas, causing slum settlements to form. The Uninhabitable House Rehabilitation Activity involves builders who will carry out house construction activities. The builders still have high hopes that this Uninhabitable House Rehabilitation Activity can fully assist in renovating uninhabitable houses into habitable houses that meet the requirements. Location of outreach activities Providing information to builders about the implementation of Rehabilitation construction for Uninhabitable Houses. Preparation method, coordination, identification and verification of residents' houses included in the list of potential aid recipients (CPB), making planning drawings, socializing craftsmen, discussions. In socialization activities, more time is needed because many craftsmen still have minimal understanding of construction, although some craftsmen already have quite a lot of experience. As a result of this socialization, craftsmen understand more about implementation drawings, which in previous activities relied on experience. With the results obtained from this socialization, craftsmen need technical guidance to increase the knowledge and competence of craftsmen to ensure the implementation of Regulation of the Minister of Public Works and Public Housing of the Republic of Indonesia Number 1 of 2023

Trajectories of Environmental Migrants: Understanding Migration Destinations of the Coastal Population in Kerala, India

Trajectories of Environmental Migrants: Understanding Migration Destinations of the Coastal Population in Kerala, India

ARE HUMAN RIGHTS THE RIGHTS WE HAVE?

In the last years, due to a serious humanitarian crisis, over seven million Venezuelans have left their country, and many are moving to Brazil as their migration destination. For Venezuelan families, education represents an opportunity for integration and inclusion in the host society. However, Venezuelan students in highschool face several obstacles in preparing to take the ENEM, a national exam of access to higher education in Brazil. Based on literature about the ENEM and migrants in Brazil, as well as on ethnographic research conducted in two public schools in the state of Paraíba, this article describes the difficulties and challenges that the ENEM, specifically its essay section, imposes on Venezuelan students. The results indicate that they face significant challenges related to Portuguese language and institutional barriers. In addition, ENEM’s essay is perceived as the biggest challenge, which results from their lack of socio-cultural repertoire on Brazil. It makes the production of a dissertative-argumentative text even more difficult, as it demands reflection on Brazilian socio-cultural themes and a proposal of social intervention that respects human rights.

Forced displacement and the health workforce crisis: Venezuelan healthcare workers in Peru.

The migration of health workforces tends to be economically based benefiting high-income countries, while draining lower-income countries of workers and skills However, national instability or civil conflict may also have the effect of forcing out health workers. However, few articles focus on the experiences of these types of migrants. Peru has become the second largest Latin American destination for Venezuelan forced displaced migrants, a number of which are health workers. While the exact numbers of these workers is unknown, it is estimated that 4000 and 3000 doctors and about 2500 nurses and health technicians from Venezuela reside in Peru. These workers find entry into the heath system difficult due to bureaucratic and costly registration and qualification validation procedures. However, during Covid-19 these conditions were relaxed, and a large number of these heath workers entered the heath workforce. These workers were primarily doctors and worked in urban medical facilities, though there was some distribution across the country's departments. This avenue to the health workforce allowed the mobilisation of dormant health skills and lifted workforce density numbers. Nonetheless, it is too early to see if there have been sustainable improvements, and it remains uncertain how these policies have contributed to the country's UHC goals. Peru's experiences raise the issue of how to mobilise dormant displaced health worker migrants.