Living Conditions of Adolescent Rural-Urban Migrant Girls Before and After Migration in Addis Ababa: A Qualitative Study
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Date
2022-06-01
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The pupose of this study is to focus on the living conditions of migrant girls before
and after migration and thereby oversee the impact of their migration to the city. In fact, very
few attention is given to internal migration in Ethiopia where government officials and policy
makers priorotize monitoring international migration in order to reduce its risk and all the
negative consequneces associated with it. Furthermore, those existing studies on migration
mostly highlight the negative challenges migrants face at the new destination and during their
journey to the city. Indeed, very few researches tend to describe the positive impact of
migration and all the positive results that come with it. A qualitative study with case studies is
used to understand the migration experience and outcomes supplemented by a literature on the
subject. Case studies focussing on the living histories before and after migration were used to
understand the livelihood of migrant girls both at the rural and urban areas. Access to basic
needs such as health, nutrition, education, water sanitation and hygiene (WASH) are critically
analysed. Lessons are taken from each administered individual cases. In order to assess the
issue under study, the main research participants are urban adolescent migrant girls who
migrated to Addis Ababa before the last three years and currently reside and / or work in Nifas
Silk Lafto Sub - City, woreda 2, “Kore area”. Back home poverty, family relationship with
stepparents,education and child marriage are the major factors for girls migration to the city.
Girls affirmed to be in a better financial situation in the city with more opportunities to income
generating activities. However, there is equal health condition before and after migration yet
with better health facilities and services in the city as opposed to back home. Simiarly, there is
better access to nutrition, electricity, water in the city as opposed to back home despite the
power and water outage. Education is well accessible in the city as stated by the girls. School
dropouts due to excesive labour work and inaccessibility of schools are common issues in rural
areas. As such, girls aspire to have a comprehensive support in meeting their educational
aspirations and thereby future professional goals. Dominantly, migrant girls confess having a
better living condition in the city compared to back home. The girls appreciate the better
services as well as employment opportunities in work with pay, access to basic needs such as
water, electricity, good housing, nutrtion, hygiene, as well as access to better health services.
All in all, interviewed girls affirm having a positive feeling in the city with more promising
outlook about the future.
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Keywords
Migrant girls, migration