Exploring Poverty Alleviation through Internal and International migration: Modern Migration Trends

Abstract

The paper explored migration impacts to establish its poverty alleviation among stakeholders (migrants, origins, and destinations) in modern migration trends. The study would contribute to the ongoing debate about migration issues globally. The study adopted systematic literature review and search strings generated 992 hits. Screening revealed exclusion of 901, and inclusion of 91 articles, selected for literature review and write-up. The paper revealed that migration is one of the ‘catalysts’ used in the olden and modern days to curb poverty. Olden days, migrants migrated to economic activities areas: mining, fishing and farming communities. Nowadays, migrants leave their ‘unfavourable’ environments for destinations with favourable economic activities. Migrants add value to themselves by acquiring skills and training, earn income, and remit to their origins. These remittances are used to stimulate the local economy which has multiplier effects on non-migrants and migrant households through job creation. On migrants’ return, skills and training acquired are implemented in the community, which equips the non-migrants. The study further revealed that migrants, just as entrepreneurs, possess personal traits, which motivate them to venture into entrepreneurship, wherever they find themselves. Migrants usually establish businesses in the destinations and create value-chain employment in the transport, security, and housing sectors. This stimulates the local economy and alleviates poverty. The paper concluded that migration, irrespective of how it is portrayed, contributes to poverty alleviation in both origins and destinations. Therefore, stakeholders should ‘weave’ migration through discussion, consultation, and collaboration to benefit all. Discussions should entail the basic type of cooperation, followed by structured dialogue involving the signing of MOUs, active participation, and working together. This process would deepen the triple-win concept since border tightening, deportation, and harassment would not deter migrants from migrating to places of their choice.