The impact of international migration on the labour market behaviour of women left-behind: Evidence from Senegal

Cora Mezger, Institut National d'Études Démographiques (INED)
Sorana Toma, Institut National d'Études Démographiques (INED)

The effects of migration on origin households through the remittance channel are high on the policy-agenda and have been extensively researched over the past decades. However, the impact on economic behaviour of left-behind women is less well documented, in particular in the context of international migration from Africa. The aim of this paper is to examine the impact of Senegalese male international migration on the labour market behaviour of women left-behind. Using data from the MAFE-Senegal survey (Migration between AFrica and Europe, 2008), we (1) explore whether international migration of the husband stimulates or reduces labour market participation of the spouses; (2) analyse, for the spouses who are economically active, whether they have experienced occupational mobility, and if so, into what sectors, and (3) assess whether this relationship is mediated by changes in the residential behaviour of the woman (own household; husband’s household; parents/siblings).