International migration of Moroccan women: An underestimated component

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International migration of Moroccan women An
underestimated component

• Abdeslam Marfouk
• Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB)
• Moroccan Women from Here and Elsewhere Change,
  Challenges and Pathways Council for the
  Moroccan Community Abroad (CCME) December
  19-20, 2008 Marrakesh

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Why do we know very little about international
migration in general?

• Number of international migrants in the world has
  increased by 145 between 1965 and 2005 / 3
  millions per year 78 millions in 1965 - 191
  millions in 2005 (United Nations)
• Official transfers sent by migrants from
  developing countries are estimated at 251
  billion in 2007 (World Bank Prospects Group)
• Transfers received by developing countries have
  more than doubled since 2000 (118)
• International migration meets a growing interest
  (policy makers, researchers, international
  institutions and the media), especially the
  phenomenon of brain drain and its impact on
  developing countries

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Why do we know very little about international
migration in general?

• There is broad consensus that the statistics on
  international migration are 'poor
• Emigration statistics in countries of origin, if
  available incomplete and inaccurate
• The data published by international institutions
  provide very partial and irrelevant information
• Many researchers noted that data on international
  migration are very scarce and incomplete, which
  is a major obstacle for the study of migration
  dynamics

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Why do we know very little about international
migration in general?

• More important deficit of data with regard to
  structure by gender and by level of qualification
• Consequences
• Underestimating the role of women in
  international migration and the impact of
  migration of women on countries of origin
• Underestimating the role of the diaspora as
  actors for developing countries of origin

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Why do we know very little about international
migration in general?

• International institutions (OECD and World Bank),
  and researchers have made efforts to develop and
  disseminate new databases
• Partially filling in the gaps in this area
• Promoting research and helping improve our
  knowledge about some aspects of international
  migration
• Docquier, Lowell Marfouk (2007) / Docquier
  Marfouk (2004, 2006)

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New database on international migration by gender
and levels of education (2004, 2006)

• Methodological approach?
• Insofar as the emigration statistics are lacking
  or less accurate, the number of emigrants can be
  known only through the statistics on immigration
  in host countries
• Step One Number of migrants
• Data collection in the 30 OECD countries, 2
  periods (1990 and 2000), by country of origin
• 3 levels of education (low skilled, fairly
  skilled and skilled)
• Step two rate of emigration by level of
  qualification - Exodus of 1,034,373 skilled
  people from India (4 of the national skilled
  workforce) - Emigration of 4,448 skilled people
  from the Gambia (68 national skilled workforce)

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Immigration structure in the OECD zone
Source Docquier, Lowell Marfouk (2007)
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Destination of migrants in , by level of
qualification, 2000
Source Docquier, Lowell Marfouk (2007)
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Emigration rate by level of qualification, in ,
2000
Source Docquier, Lowell Marfouk (2007)
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Comparison of emigration rates by level of
qualification, in , 2000
Source Docquier, Lowell Marfouk (2007)
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Emigrants (in absolute values) and emigration
rates () of skilled people, 2000
Source Docquier, Lowell Marfouk (2007)
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Proportion of women in total immigration, in
Source Nations Unies
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Aspect of literature in favour of migration of men

• Aspect of literature in favour of migration of
  men enhanced clichés and stereotypes
• Participation of women in international migration
  is insignificant
• Women are passive migrants who left the
  countries of origin only for the sake of family
  gathering (as wife, mother or daughter of male
  migrants)
• Data show that a significant proportion of women
  emigrate independently Pearce (2006)

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Proportion of women in Moroccan emigration, by
region of destination, 2000
Source Docquier, Lowell Marfouk (2007)
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Ratio of the skilled among the emigrants of
Moroccan origin, by gender and country of
residence, 2000
Source Docquier, Lowell Marfouk (2007)
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Comparison of emigration rates of skilled people,
by gender, 2000
Source Docquier, Lowell Marfouk (2007)
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Comparison of emigration rates of the skilled
people, by gender, 2000
Source Docquier, Lowell Marfouk (2007)
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What future trend of brain drain?
variations 1990-2000, in
Source Docquier, Lowell Marfouk (2007)
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What future trend of brain drain?
Source Docquier, Lowell Marfouk (2007)