Gender and youth migration for empowerment: migration trends from Tanzania

Abstract

Migration remains a central concern in urbanisation, especially in Africa. With mobility, and migration, articulated as norms of the twenty-first century this paper introduces a focus on trending realities. The paper describes the migration to and from the rural hinterland of a medium-sized African city in Tanzania. By asking questions on migration trends within livelihoods, this project identifies the emerging demographic patterns, and geographies, within Tanzania. Analysis was carried out on a Health and Demographic Surveillance Site (HDSS) database. The HDSS site data provides an overview of population movement in, out, and within, Kisesa, Tanzania. The results raise discussion concerning what mobility means and the connections between migration and urbanisation. The results raise two key points. Certain factors increase the ‘risk’ of migration: age, sex, place of residence, and being able to migrate individually. These risk factors as interconnected. Results highlight the need for a gender and age sensitive approach with feminising, and youthful, migration trends identified. Secondly, migration is not necessarily rural-urban, but rather increasingly involve local movements within the Kisesa ward and circular mobilities’.