In rural areas of Cambodia, it is not uncommon to see grandmothers caring for their grandchildren and even other children in the village in the absence of their parents. These children are commonly referred to as ‘left behind.’ Their parents have left the country or region in search of better economic opportunities. Day after day, this phenomenon is growing.
It is estimated that more than one million Cambodians are currently migrating to Thailand in search of work. An even greater number move within the country for the same purpose. This migration dynamic has become essential to the economic development of many countries as it provides a low-skilled and therefore low-cost labour force. Despite the scale of the phenomenon, very little data is available on the secondary effects of these migrations, particularly on children.
In fact, while much attention is focused on the positive effects of migration for the country of origin, such as remittances sent by migrants to their families, little is said about the negative effects of migration on the general well-being of emigrants' children. For example, we do not know how separation from parents affects children's development and redistributes roles within the family. Nor is there any evidence to establish a direct link between the increase in the number of migrants and the increase in the number of children placed in institutions or foster families in Cambodia.
A research project to improve understanding of the subject
In response to this lack of data, a project in which Louvain Coopération is participating is currently being developed. Its objective is to explore three central questions: to what extent does separation from parents affect children's nutritional, behavioural and psychological development? Does worker migration lead to children being placed in foster care? And finally, what are the most culturally and contextually appropriate interventions to address the problems identified by previous research?
The project is led by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in collaboration with more than 60 NGOs, UN agencies and Cambodian ministries. IOM technical experts, in collaboration with the local Louvain Coopération team, have developed a research methodology for the Cambodian context. This methodology is based on field visits and a research framework designed to understand the social and health impacts of migration on migrant children.