The Influence of Labor Migration on Family Structures and Child Development: A Comparative Study between Urban and Rural Uzbekistan
Keywords:
Labor migration, Family structures, Child development Urban vs. rural Parental absenceAbstract
This study examines how labor migration affects families and children in urban and rural Uzbekistan. While remittances help financially, the absence of parents leads to emotional distress, academic challenges, and shifting caregiving roles—especially in rural areas with limited support. Using surveys and interviews, the research highlights the need for mental health services, caregiver training, and policies that address the social costs of migration. The study fills a gap in localized research and calls for targeted, child-focused interventions.
References
Battistella, G., & Conaco, M. C. G. (1998). The impact of labor migration on the children left behind: A study of elementary school children in the Philippines. SOJOURN: Journal of Social Issues in Southeast Asia, 13(2), 220–241.
Castles, S., de Haas, H., & Miller, M. J. (2014). The age of migration: International population movements in the modern world (5th ed.). Palgrave Macmillan.
Hugo, G. (2002). Effects of international migration on the family in Indonesia. Asian and Pacific Migration Journal, 11(1), 13–46.
International Organization for Migration (IOM). (2020). Migration in Uzbekistan: A country profile 2020.
Parreñas, R. S. (2005). Children of global migration: Transnational families and gendered woes. Stanford University Press.
Reed, H. E., & Lapinski, J. S. (2015). The social costs of migration on children in Central Asia: Evidence from Kazakhstan. Central Asian Survey, 34(3), 276–294.
Suárez-Orozco, C., Todorova, I. L. G., & Louie, J. (2011). Making up for lost time: The experience of separation and reunification among immigrant families. Family Process, 41(4), 625–643.
UNICEF. (2019). Children left behind by migration in Central Asia: A regional analysis and the way forward. UNICEF Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia.
Vertovec, S. (2004). Migrant transnationalism and modes of transformation. International Migration Review, 38(3), 970–1001.
World Bank. (2019). Migration and remittances: Recent developments and outlook. Migration and Development Brief, No. 31.