Social and Welfare Impacts of Male-Outmigration on the Lives of the Migrant Families: A Study of Darbhanga District of Bihar

Abstract

Migration of young men has several social, economic and welfare impacts on the families of the migrants. This paper focuses on the social as well as welfare impacts that male outmigration has on the lives of the families of the migrants. This paper aims to study the impact of migration of changing decision-making roles of women in both farming and household decisions. It also covers the felt changes by the migrant families on family expenditure, social status and overall welfare. Migration increases the role of women in household decision making and decision making in farming activities. The negative impacts of male outmigration include shortage of labour and increased workload on women. The positive impacts include improvement in quality of food intake, healthcare of the pregnant women and elderly and increased emphasis on the education of girl children.