Socio-Economic Factors of Female’s Rural to Urban Migration: Two Time Period Analysis in Pakistan

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume III, Issue IV, April 2019 | ISSN 2454–6186

Socio-Economic Factors of Female’s Rural to Urban Migration: Two Time Period Analysis in Pakistan

Farah Naz Ata¹, Qurra-tul-ain Ali Sheikh^2*, Prof. Dr. Mahpara Begum Sadaqat^3
1M. Phil candidate, Applied Economics Research Centre (AERC), University of Karachi, Pakistan
²Ph. D candidate, Applied Economics Research Centre (AERC), University of Karachi, Pakistan
²Asst. Prof. (Economics Department), Govt. Girls Degree College, Nawabshah, Sindh, Pakistan
³Professor, Department of Business Administration, Iqra University, North Campus, Karachi, Pakistan
*Corresponding Author

Abstract:- Migration for better standards of life and opportunities has been centuries old phenomenon. Migration around the world has been taking place internationally as well as domestically. Worldwide, majority of people are reported to be internal migrants and the trend of urbanization has become an increasing these days, especially in developing countries. Presently, about 37 percent population of Pakistan is living in the urban centers while by 2025, it is expected that more than half of the population will settle in the urban areas. Aside from this, another important aspect of rural to urban migration exists which has been increasingly known as the “feminization” of migration. This study aims at estimating the gender aspect of internal migration through various socio-economic factors of migration such as age, age square, marital status, level of education, vocational training and status in the family. A probit regression model is used, by extracting the data from the Labor Force Survey (2010-11 and 2017-18). The findings showed that mostly females prefer to migrate due to non-economic factors (marriages, health care services, being associates of migration etc.) while males migrate for both economic (job arrangements, educational opportunities, business) and non-economic factors. Level of education and vocational training appeared as important factors to empower females and give them the independence to migrate; additionally, when females are charged as head of household, they are most likely to migrate than when males are heads of the household. However, the statistics (2017-18) also proved that males have been seen to be migrating more for marriage which is a better trend towards cultural change in the prevailing orthodoxy society of Pakistan. For further policy implications, it is suggested that more focus be given towards improving standard of education and vocational facilities for females, especially in the rural areas.

Keywords: Migration, Economic and non-economic Factors, Rural to Urban Migration, Gender differences, Pakistan

JEL Classification: F22, O15, R23, J16

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