Impact of Labour Migration on “Children Left Behind” in Tajikistan

The most emblematic quote on the necessity of migration, viewed as a constrained choice, was given by a group of young boys from non-migrant families, who considered themselves lucky (and rich) enough never to have to migrate themselves:

“Those people who go to Russia do not go on a whim, but out of despair, from a bad life. They are willing, for the future of their children, to endure many hardships. They have no other choice.”

From a report just published by UNICEF (and prepared by OPM). Like sweatshop labour, many on the left seem to see migration driven by desperation as a problem. When clearly it is that desperation due to poverty that is the problem, and uncomfortable symptoms such as poor quality jobs and migration are actually generally alleviating the problem (not that more shouldn't be done to address poverty directly).