Can information and alternatives to irregular migration reduce backway migration from The Gambia?

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Bah, Tijan L.; Batista, Catia; Gubert, Flore; Mckenzie, David
• 署名单位: Universidade Nova de Lisboa; Universite PSL; Universite Paris-Dauphine; Institut de Recherche pour le Developpement (IRD); Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS); The World Bank
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENT ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0304-3878
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jdeveco.2023.103153
• 发表日期: 2023
• 关键词: Irregular migration; Migration deterrence; Information interventions; vocational training; Cash transfer; randomized experiment

摘要

Irregular migration from West Africa to Europe across the Sahara and Mediterranean is extremely risky for migrants and a key policy concern. A cluster-randomized experiment with 3641 young men from 391 settlements in The Gambia is used to test three approaches to reducing risky migration: providing better information and testimonials about the risks of the journey, facilitating migration to a safer destination by providing information and assistance for migration to Dakar, and offering vocational skill training to enhance domestic employment opportunities. Current migration to Senegal was increased by both the Dakar facilitation and vocational training treatments, partially crowding out internal migration. The vocational training treatment reduced intentions to migrate the backway and the number of steps taken toward moving. However, the backway migration rate from The Gambia collapsed, even in the control group, resulting in no space for a treatment effect on irregular migration from any of the three interventions.