Social and Gender Issues of Urban Migrants

Context

Reasons and dimensions of urban migration on social, economic and gender basis.

Background

A UN report says India is on the “brink of an urban revolution”, as its population in towns and cities are expected to reach 600 million by 2031. Fuelled by migration, megacities of India (Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata) will be among the largest urban concentrations in the world. Interestingly, the 2011 Census reveals that women form almost 70 per cent of internal migration.

Importance of Study

For a large country like India, the study of movement of population in different parts of the country helps in understanding the dynamics of the society better. At this junction in the economic development, in the country, especially when many states are undergoing faster economic development, particularly in areas, such as, manufacturing, information technology or service sectors, data migration profile of population has become more important.

Migration Pattern

Both international and internal urban migration involves increasingly different types of migrants, with varying motivations. These include those searching for better jobs (formal and informal), single women migrating to support family, women joining husbands, asylum seekers, students and trainees etc. Environmental disasters and conflict also contribute to urban migration nationally and internationally.

Moving to cities can enhance well-being, offering an escape from poverty and providing access to better opportunities, employment, health and education.

Findings from studies highlight that households migrate for many reasons, including insecure rural livelihoods, shocks that make subsistence difficult, and the desire for upward mobility. However, an influx of migrants strains the ability of cities to cope, meaning migrants may be unable to access social support or afford adequate housing.

This makes them more vulnerable to deprivation, disease and violence and often exposes them to forced eviction. Migrant women, especially those who are undocumented, are more likely to experience labour market exploitation and are at greater risk of kidnap or trafficking.

Classification of Migration

Permanent versus Temporary: Migration is often perceived as permanent, resulting in restrictive migration laws. Yet research indicates that most migration to cities is temporary and cyclical.

Civic Identity: Migrating to a new country or city is a multi-stage process. Integration of migrants depends on many factors, including command of local language, availability of jobs, legal status, participation in civic and political life and access to social services.

Participation and Representation: Crucial to managing urban migration is ensuring the representation and inclusion of migrants in decision-making processes. Identifying effective ways of working and communicating with diverse communities and groups is critical.

Vulnerability to Urban Violence and Criminality: Migrants are more vulnerable to urban violence and criminality, including people trafficking (especially children and women), labour exploitation, fake documents, irregular housing, illegal service provision, unregulated recruitment agencies and corrupt police.

Census Data

As per 2011 Census data, about 450 million of 1.2 billion Indians migrated within the country. Of this, 78 million, or 15.6% of all domestic migrants, moved from rural to urban areas. The number of migrants who moved from rural to urban areas stood at 52 million out of a total population of 1.02 billion.

Rural to Urban Migration

The number of migrants who moved from rural to urban areas stood at 52 million out of a total population of 1.02 billion, as per the 2001 Census. Thus, the 2011 number of 78 million is a jump of 51%. The share of rural-to-urban migrants in the population rose from 5.06% in 2001 to 6.5% in 2011. Women outnumber men in making the rural-to-urban shift. Of the 78 million, 55% were females and they outnumbered males in 554 of the 640 districts. The share of male rural-to-urban migrants in the total male population rose from 4.6% to 5.7%, for females, the share rose from 5.5% to 7.4%.

Rural-to-urban moves are mostly happening within the state. Of the 78 million, only 19.6 million have come from outside the state of their birth. In UTs, which have a small local population compared to states, 90% of rural-to-urban migrants come from outside. In other districts, there is variance in terms of whether migrants come from within the state or outside of it. For example, in the two districts of Mumbai, 63% of such migrants are from outside Maharashtra.

Women Migration

Although marriage-induced migration or associated migration continues to be the predominant reason for the overwhelming presence of women among migrants, its importance has declined post liberalization as export-oriented economic development has created demand for women labour. An analysis of Census shows that women migrating for work grew by 101 per cent — more than double the growth rate for men (48.7 per cent) — while those who cited business as a reason for migration increased by 153 per cent during 2001-11, more than four times the rate for men (35 per cent).

Women migrants, in particular, suffer the consequences of being a woman and a migrant, remain mostly discriminated in the workforce and invariably suffer economic exclusion. Denied maternity benefits or special care and more vulnerable to sexual harassment, these women migrants are more likely to be paid less than male migrants and non-migrant women.

Conclusion

While India does not have a direct exclusionary registration system of migrants like China’s “hukou” system, it discriminates against them more subtly through political, administrative, labour market, and socio-economic processes. For example, the ration card continues to be a person’s primary identity document, which is issued to the family. This limits urban migrants’ ability to access financial services. Hence there is a need of various methods should be adopted to provide financial services to the urban migrant. Also should work to implement the ONE INDIA ONE RATION CARD expeditiously.

India should give emphasis on better data collection. Capturing the complex dynamics of gender-specific migration would not only fill knowledge gaps in the gender dimension of migration but also improve the visibility of women as economic actors and help the state respond better to their needs. Aadhaar card to women migrants can ensure her access to basic needs, opening of Jan Dhan accounts and availing benefits of the National Health Protection Mission.

Connecting the Article

Question for Prelims

With reference to the Gender Gap Index 2019-20, consider the following statements:

1. It is released by United Nations Development Programme.
2. India showed highest improvement among all BRICS Nations.

Which of the statements given above is/ are correct ?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Question for Mains

How does urban migration affect the social structure of India? What is the role of informal economy in urban migration in India?