1Studied by: Pham Thi Ha Phuong

Instructed by: Dr. Kyoko Kusakabe

GENDER DIMENSION IN CIRCULAR MIGRATION, THE CASE OF NINH BINH, VIETNAM

The 4th AIT Masters Theses Competition ASIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

The 4th AIT Masters Theses Competition ASIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

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Map 1: Study area

Thach Binh commune –

Ninh Binh province (area of origin)

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Concept of “Circular Migration” “Circular migration” as used in this thesis:

maintaining two “homes” – in both place of origin (“true home”) and place of destination (“home”, e.g., in urban area)

Different from permanent one-way migration

Different from other forms of temporary migration

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Circular migrants

Place of DestinationPull factors: job opportunities&

extra income; etc.

Push factors: Unable to settle down & access to social welfare in

the cities due to urbanization controlling policies & migration

limiting policies

Gender Dimension: Gender differences in employments; gender discrimination in labour market, etc.

Gender Dimension:Gender differentiated expectations, gender roles in households, social conceptions, etc.

Problem StatementPlace of an origin

-Push factors: Lack of capital, employment, etc.

Pull factors: Family responsibilities, rural livelihoods, social welfare and social services, etc.

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What are the reasons of women and men to become circular migrants?

How are circular migrants’ working and living conditions in places of destination?

What is the pattern of circular migration of female and male migrants? How does the pattern affect circular migrants in terms of their health and employment?

Research Questions

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6th Step

1st StepSemi-structured

Interviews(98 migrant workers)

Select 20 key respondents from these 98 respondents for in-depth interviews of 2nd step

In-depth Interviews(20 key selected respondents)

Select one member of 20 key respondent’s families for 3rd step

Semi-structured Interviews (20 selected household members)

Select 6 key respondents from these 20 household members for in-depth interviews in 4th step

In-depth Interviews(6 selected household members)

2nd Step

3rdStep

4th Step

5th StepGroup Discussion

(4 groups) - 1group with 6 male migrants- 1group with 6 female migrants- 1 group with 4 male and 4 female migrants- 1 group with 4 male and 4 female household members

Key Informant Interviews- 1 head of commune

- 1 government official- 2 employers in destinations

Primary Data Collecting Process

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Table 1: Circular Pattern of Migration

PATTERNS OF CIRCULAR MIGRATION

Source: Survey data. N = 98*: out of total number of female migrants**: out of total number of male migrants

Female migrants Male migrants Description

Number Percentage* Number Percentage** Every two weeks 7 17.5% 0 0% Monthly 21 52.5% 9 15.5% Less than monthly (but more than three times a year)

7 17.5% 14 24.2%

Three times a year 4 10% 31 53.4%

Frequency of home returning

Twice a year 1 2.5% 3 5.2%

Less than twice a per year

0 0% 1 1.7%

2 weeks 7 17.5% 0 0% 1 month 21 52.5% 9 16% 1-3 months 11 27.5% 35 60%

Length of staying in destination per time

More than 3 months 5 12.5% 14 24

Less than 1 week 34 85% 21 36% Less than 1 month 4 10% 29 50%

Length of staying in origin place per time More than 1 month 2 5% 8 14% Total 40 100% 58 100%

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Reasons for out-migrating Push factors of place of origin Pull factors of place of destination

Reasons for returning home Pull factors of place of origin Push factors of place of destination

REASONS FOR CIRCULAR MIGRATION

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Push factor

Female migrants* Male migrants Migrants (in general)

Number % Number %** Number %***

Rice deficiency

30 75% 46 79% 76 78%

Low income  18 45% 16 28% 34 35%

Underemployment 

35 87.5% 54 93% 89 91% Source: Survey data. N = 98 (Multiple choices)

*: Percentage out of total number of surveyed female migrants**: Percentage out of total number of surveyed male migrants

***: Percentage out of total number of surveyed migrants

Table 2: Push factors of origin place leading to out-migration in Thach Binh

REASONS FOR OUT MIGRATING(Push Factors)

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Table 3: Pull factors of destinations with migrants

100%98100%58100%

40Economic factor

2.6%20%05%2Marital reason

8%67%45%2City attraction

%***Number%**Number%*Number

Migrants (in general)

Male migrantsFemale migrants

Pull factor    

Source: Survey data. N = 98 (multiple choices)*: Percentage out of total number of surveyed female migrants**: Percentage out of total number of surveyed male migrants

***: Percentage out of total number of surveyed migrants

REASONS FOR OUT-MIGRATING(Pull Factors)

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Reasons for out-migrating Push factors of origin place

Rice deficiency Low income Underemployment

Pull factors of destination place City attraction Marital reason Economic factors

Reasons for returning home Pull factors of origin place

Agricultural work Family visit, being homesick Lunar New Year Family affairs (Family emergency, wedding, funeral) Expectations from people left behind

Push factors of destination place Hard working and living conditions in destination place

REASONS FOR CIRCULAR MIGRATION

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Table 4: Reasons for returning home

REASONS FOR RETURNING HOME

Source: Survey data. N = 98*: out of total number of female migrants

**: out of total number of male migrants ***: out of total number of migrants

Female migrant Male migrant Migrants Pull factors

Number %* Number %** Number %*** Agricultural work 40 100% 56 97% 96 98% Family visit, being homesick 30 75% 8 14% 38 39% Lunar New Year 35 87.5% 56 97 91 93% Family affairs (Family emergency, wedding, funeral)

9 22.5 11 19% 20 20%

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Reasons for out-migrating Push factors of origin place

Rice deficiency Low income Underemployment

Pull factors of destination place City attraction Marital reason Economic factors

Reasons for returning home Pull factors of origin place

Agricultural work Family visit, being homesick Lunar New Year Family affairs (Family emergency, wedding, funeral)Expectations of people left behind

Push factors of destination place Hard working and living conditions in destination place

REASONS FOR CIRCULAR MIGRATION

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I reluctantly let my wife work in Hanoi because in recent years, my health has been getting worse. I got problem with my legs so that I could not work too hard. Though she goes back home every month, I still feel it’s very difficult to undertake her role in our family. There are a lot of things I cannot do as well as her. Whenever she is back, she tidies up our house, does the washing, checks my children’s studies, etc. Everything looks totally different when she’s gone.

(Canh, a 59-year-old-male-non-migrant-respondent)

Interviews, October 2009

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Table 5: Considerations of circular migrants in job selection

CONSIDERATIONS OF JOB SELECTION

Source: Survey data. N = 98 (multiple choices)

Female migrants Male migrants Name of factor

Number Percentage Number Percentage

Assistance in destination 40 100% 37 63.8% Time flexibility 37 92.5% 51 87.9% Income 36 90% 58 100% Distance between origin and destination places

31 77.5% 23 39.7%

Experience 4 10% 3 5.2% Education 2 5% 2 3.4%

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Table 6: Employments of circular migrants

CONSIDERATIONS OF JOB SELECTION

Source: Survey data. N = 98

Migrants No Employments

Number Percentage Sex

1 Building workers

18 18.4% Male

2 Quarrymen 16 16.3% Male 3 Miners 9 9.2% Male 4 Carpenters 7 7.1% Male 5 Apprentices 5 5.1% Male 6 Factory workers 5 5.1% Female(2)/Male(3) 7 Cooks 2 2.1% Female

8 Restaurant dishwasher

3 3.1% Female

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Employed workers

Domestic helpers

4 4.1% Female

10 Street vendors 14 14.3% Female 11 Scavengers 8 8.1% Female

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Self-employed workers Scrap-iron

dealers 7 7.1% Female

Total 98 100% Female and Male

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Studied area is represented by yellow star

South provinces and Northwest provinces are represented by red

circles.

Map 2: Places of destination of circular migrant respondents

Close places of destination are represented by blue circles

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Reasons for out-migrating Push factors of origin place

Rice deficiency Low income Underemployment

Pull factors of destination place City attraction Marital reason Economic factors

Reasons for returning home Pull factors of origin place

Agricultural work Family visit, being homesick Lunar New Year Family affairs (Family emergency, wedding, funeral) Expectations of people left behind

Push factors of destination place Hard working and living conditions in place of destination

REASONS FOR CIRCULAR MIGRATION

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Table 7: Comparison between average monthly income and saving of surveyed circular migrants

Income and Saving

Source: Survey data. N = 98

Female migrants

Male migrants Migrant (in general)

Amount of money

Number %* Number %** Number %*** <= VND 300,000 (<USD 19)

4 10% 7 12% 11 11.2%

VND 300 – 500,000 (USD 19 – USD 31)

9 22.5% 12 21% 21 21.4%

VND 500-800,000 ( 31 – 50 USD)

21 52.5% 31 53% 52 53%

VND 800-1,000,000(USD 50 – USD 63)

5 12.5% 5 8.6% 10 10.2%

Monthly Income

> VND1,000,000 (>USD 63)

1 2.5% 3 5.4% 4 4.2%

< VND 100,000 (<USD 5.9)

3 7.5% 9 15.5% 12 12 %

VND 100-300,000 (USD 5.9 – USD 17.65)

9 22.5% 37 64% 46 47%

VND 300-500,000 (USD 17.65 – USD 29.4)

24 60% 12 20.5% 36 37% Monthly Saving

> VND500,000 (>USD 29.4)

4 10% 0 0 4 4%

Total 40 100% 58 100% 98 100%

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Difficult working conditions Hired migrant workers (majority are male migrants) Self-employed migrants (majority are female migrants)

Difficult living conditions Economize living expenses for money saving: cheap hostels,

cheap foods, cut down spending as much as possible Being limited with social welfare in destination Being discriminated against by urban people

Hard working and low living conditions reinforce the desire of going back home

LIFE IN THE DESTINATIONSWorking and Living Conditions

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Health: Exhaustion, other problems of circular traveling Bad quality of transportation vehicles

Employments Discriminations of labour market against circular

migrants Circular pattern of migration diminishes migrants’

income

PATTERN REGARDING IMPACTS OF RETURNING HOME

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1. Circular migrants appear as one of the most vulnerable people. Circular pattern of migration causes bad influence in terms of health and employment on migrants themselves

2. Gender differentiated patterns of circular migration are created by:

1. Gender based differences in job selecting considerations;

2. Characteristics of women and men’s employments;

3. Expectations of people left behind put on migrant workers.

3. Women return back more frequently than men because of pressure from home to go back home more often

4. Because of this pattern of circular migration, women tend to migrate in nearby provinces, and be in occupation that is more flexible

CONCLUSIONS

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5. Up to now, government policies have not seriously concerned about migrants’ lives in order to lighten their vulnerabilities

(vs. idea of circular migration as having clear benefits for both places of origin and destination – more complicated than this)

6. Promoting circular migration needs to be done carefully, especially with women migrants; must take into consideration their lives in place of destination as well as origin

CONCLUSIONS

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1. Poverty eliminating projects which target to poverty rural habitants should be planned comprehensively

2. Male rural habitants should also be included in poverty eliminating projects (as well as women)

3. Social welfare for migrants in destination is very important and needs to be considered carefully.

CONCLUSIONSRecommendations

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This research attempts to fill the knowledge gap about circular migration in Vietnam in order to contribute to lighten the vulnerability for circular migrants, especially circular female migrants.

Further studies recommended: Impacts of Vietnam economic recession on circular

migrants Impacts of circular migration on people left behind

CONCLUSIONS

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