specific needs of children and elderly left behind as a ... - IOM Moldova

Specific Needs of Children and Elderly Left Behind
as a Consequence of Migration
Introduction
“The child does not owe hi s life to pare nt s but hi s upbr ing ing”
Nicolae Iorga
NOTE
2
Labour Force Survey,
2010.
NOTE
3
Report on poverty and
impact of policies 2009.
– Ministry of Economy,
Chisinau, 2011, p.35.
NOTE
4
See: National action
plan on the protection
of children left without
parental care for 2010-
2011.
The economic instability faced by the Republic of Moldova after gaining
its independence led to an increase in poverty and unemployment that
influenced the expansion of the process of labour migration. The estimated
number of Moldovan migrants varies from about 200-350 thousand people
according to the official statistics to 500-600 thousand people according
to some sociological surveys conducted by international organisations.
According to the data of the National Bureau of Statistics, the number of
labour migrants in 2010 was 311 thousand people 2 , an increase of 16,1
thousand people when compared to the previous year.
The impact of labour migration is quite controversial. One of the main issues
lies with the impact of remittances sent by Moldovan workers from abroad
on the economy of the Republic of Moldova and the consumption of family
members who remained in the country of origin. According to the data
given by the World Bank, Moldova is first place in the world if taking the
amount of remittances in proportion to the Gross Domestic Product. Remittances
directly influence the well-being of households and in 2009 it reduced
on average the absolute poverty rate by 11.7%. 3 This income received
by households from their family members working abroad helps ensure their
daily needs, buying/repairing the dwelling, paying back debts, buying durable
goods and to a certain extent its use as investment capital (only 3,3% of
migrants set up a business with the money earned as a result of migration).
On the other hand, demographic and social consequences of labour migration
are alarming: the absolute number of the population decreases, the
ageing process worsens and the instability of families who have members
working abroad increases. Migration influences the psycho-emotional development
of children deprived of parental care, their health, education
and socialization process as well as affecting the psychological condition
of the elderly left behind by the children they raised.
Long term effects are not less important as following generations will undertake
parents’ migration behaviour since they perceive and replicate the
model and behaviours of the family they were raised in, including the lack
of psycho-emotional responsibility towards their own children.
In order to reduce the negative impacts of migration and to maximize its
development benefits, the Government of the Republic of Moldova set as
one of its priorities, the development of policies and initiatives in this regard.
Besides actions related to migration management and effective use
of remittances, an important direction refers to the protection of children 4
and elderly left behind by family members as a consequence of labour mi-
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