Gendered Impact of Male Out-migration.....

Gendered Impact of Male Out-migration on Rural Households: A short review of literature

Hom Nath Gartaula

Department of Social Sciences, Wageningen University

The Netherlands

This paper tries to examine some literatures in relation to the male out-migration and its subsequent impact on gender relation at household and the community level in the migrants’ place of origin. It is obvious that male out-migration has a significant impact on rural households particularly where agriculture is the mainstay of living. The influences may be either positive or negative. The important changes because of male out-migration can be considered as the remittances sent by the migrants, the potential labour crisis in agricultural activities, changing gender relationships and ambiguous power position of women within the household and wider community. However, limited studies have been carried out in this respect. In this review of literature, it is revealed that there are two views regarding the gendered impact of male out-migration on rural households. One view shows a positive impact to women while others claim that this is just an illusion. Being household head or take some operational decisions for the time being does not necessarily overcome the subordination of women particularly in patriarchal society. It is hard to be convinced that male out-migration results an increase in women’s fall-back position and thereby increased bargaining power and increased stake in decision making. Keeping in mind that the review is not an exhaustive one it needs more elaborative study to come up with the final conclusion. However, a preliminary conclusion can be drawn that uunless she has her own strong position within and outside the household, some operational undertakings would not be adequate enough to improve her status.

Published by "The Thesis Abstracts Online" in 2010

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Citation:

Gartaula, H.N. (2007). Gendered Impact of Male Out-migration on Rural Households: A short review of literature. Submitted to Sociology of Consumers and Households, Department of Social Sciences, Wageningen University, The Netherlands