Partner: NCCR North-South, Switzerland; Zurich University, Switzerland
Year: 2012
Locale: Gujrat, Jhelum, Mandi Bahauddin and Faisalabad districts
Introduction:
The study focuses on the role of return migrants knowledge and skill in socio-economic development—challenges and options in Pakistan. The field visits of Gujrat, Jhelum, Mandi Bahauddin and Faisalabad districts as well as surrounding areas have been carried out. These districts were chosen because a large number of people have gone abroad (Europe and North America) as migrants and these districts are major centres of small, medium and large-scale industries. We used qualitative methods of social research (key-informant interviews and personal observations). Those respondents (or households) were selected who have returned from abroad and now engaged in some sort of business or other employment, or those emigrants who were planning to invest their skills in their hometown.
Objectives:
- To provide a better and more differentiated understanding of the role of knowledge and skills in the migration process in particular for a migrant’s personal and household’s advancement, and to explore challenges faced by the migrants in this regards.
- To allow a critical reading of the “migration and development” debate, where migrants are seen as potential agents of development.
- To contribute through research towards best practices to make use of the knowledge and skills of migrants and migrant’s networks for development purposes