Arts and Social Sciences Journal

Causes, Consequences and Parents ′Perception towards Child Rural-Urban Migration; the Case of Kindo Koysha Woreda, Wolayta Zone, SNNPR

Abstract

Kinfe Abraha and Abraham Woru

Due to various reasons, rural areas of Kindo Koysha woreda children migrate to different urban centers of Ethiopia. Studying the parents’ perception towards children migration is necessary to understand the concern of child rural-urban migration in the study area. Therefore this MSc. thesis is aimed to study the socio-economic and demographic characteristics of parents’ who have children migrated to the town and parents’ who children have not migrated to the town. The study further focused on identifying causes, consequences and assessing parents’ perception towards child rural-urban migration in the study area. In order to accomplish this study, a total of 160 respondents were selected using simple random sampling and purposive sampling techniques. Data collection instruments like survey questionnaire, key informants interview from woreda and kebele officials were involved. In addition, within three groups more than 21 individuals included Focus Group Discussions were conducted. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used for data analyses. Qualitative data analyzed by discussion. However, quantitative data analyzed by using descriptive statistics using software Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 20 and Microsoft office Excel 2013. The study findings indicate that poor economic condition of household, a large number of family size, lack of access to infrastructures, the influence of prior migrant, shortage of agricultural land and parents’ perception are causes of child rural-urban migration in the study area. The study revealed that most of both parents externally do not support child rural-urban migration except different reasons behind. However, the result of the survey showed that some of households and community elders were encouraging child migration into urban centers because, they believe that when one’s child/youths are in town, they acquire moral satisfaction whether he/she support or remit money or not.Due to various reasons, rural areas of Kindo Koysha woreda children migrate to different urban centers of Ethiopia. Studying the parents’ perception towards children migration is necessary to understand the concern of child rural-urban migration in the study area. Therefore this MSc. thesis is aimed to study the socio-economic and demographic characteristics of parents’ who have children migrated to the town and parents’ who children have not migrated to the town. The study further focused on identifying causes, consequences and assessing parents’ perception towards child rural-urban migration in the study area. In order to accomplish this study, a total of 160 respondents were selected using simple random sampling and purposive sampling techniques. Data collection instruments like survey questionnaire, key informants interview from woreda and kebele officials were involved. In addition, within three groups more than 21 individuals included Focus Group Discussions were conducted. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used for data analyses. Qualitative data analyzed by discussion. However, quantitative data analyzed by using descriptive statistics using software Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 20 and Microsoft office Excel 2013. The study findings indicate that poor economic condition of household, a large number of family size, lack of access to infrastructures, the influence of prior migrant, shortage of agricultural land and parents’ perception are causes of child rural-urban migration in the study area. The study revealed that most of both parents externally do not support child rural-urban migration except different reasons behind. However, the result of the survey showed that some of households and community elders were encouraging child migration into urban centers because, they believe that when one’s child/youths are in town, they acquire moral satisfaction whether he/she support or remit money or not.