Labour Migration: opportunities and challenges for mountain livelihoods

“While working in Hong Kong I experienced many things – the way people treat a dependent or independent woman. I have gained much experience and my confidence has grown. Now, I have a say in decision-making at home. My husband does not shout at me. I have bought a piece of land and four rickshaws and I am creating a means of livelihood for four other families...”.
Sushila Rai, a Nepalese migrant domestic worker, (Jolly and Reeves 2005, in ICIMOD Summer 2011 periodical)

The latest edition of the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development Periodical Summer 2011 focuses on:

• labour migration in the Himalayas and Nepal a very interesting topic evidencing the positive and negative economic, social and environmental impacts of labour migration in mountain communities;
• impact of environmental change on human migration;
• internal and international migration in the Peruvian Andes;
• feminisation, ageing of agriculture and farmer's changing livlihoods in South Western China; and
• the use of remittances in natural or political crises in Pakistan.

My highlights are the many quotes of people that ICIMOD have talked to.

“We are dependent on agriculture, which is totally dependent on good weather conditions. The biggest problem we face is food insecurity. If the weather was good, with timely rain and better food security, we would never opt to migrate. Why would we want to leave our families and travel to another place and work like animals?”
Village Development Committee (VDC) Secretary, Dailekh district, Nepal (ICIMOD, unpublished)

Click here to download the periodical.

Hat tip: Loreley Fortuny via IAIA Connect.