Impact of Migration on Poverty and Development

This paper reviews the literature on migration in South Asia, Southeast Asia, Southern Africa, East Africa and West Africa in order to highlight the complexity of migration patterns and impacts. It is also accompanied, where relevant, by evidence from Latin America and the Caribbean. It draws attention to the many types of migration including: internal migration; short-term international contract labour; cross-border mobility and regional migration and the different impacts that they have at the household level and beyond. The findings are presented under five broad headings: the impact of migration on individual migrants; left behind family members; community; local economies; and national economies of origin. The review was undertaken to inform the research strategy of the Migrating out of Poverty Research Programme Consortium.