Abstract:
Although migration issues has recently become one of the major research topics attracting the attention
of many researchers and research institutions, there is no comprehensive empirical evidences on the
cht4'enges and opportunities of male out migration for rural women lives and their families left behind.
Previous studies on male out migration focused on the causes and consequences of migration and its
impacts on agricultural production, natural resources, women's work load, women's access to credit,
labour market and on women livelihood. Difficulty of managing the household, social exclusion,
confusion over gender boundaries, child welfare in female headed households in the context of
vulnerability to abuses, school drop out of daughter's, sex preference of access to education, household
income, household management, communication, marital stability and women's livelihood strategies to
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overcome the aforementioned problems and possible opportunities of male migration are inadequately
studied. Therefore, the primary purpose of this case study was to examine the challenges and
opportunities male out migration for rural women and household members' livelihoods in Quarit
Woreda. Attempts have been also made to assess the different types of copying strategies employed by
wives of migrant husbands'. In order to carry out this study, qualitative method was employed which is
related to the topic of tbe study. The main objective of the research was to explore the major problems
and possible opportunities of rural women and their families left behind migrant husbands'. To address
the stated objectives and to answer the basic research questions both primary and secondary data
sources have. been utilized. In-depth interview, observation, and FGDs have been employed as an
important data gathering instrument. To this end, a total of 20 wives of migrants' were selected through
purposive sampling technique to conduct in-depth interview and focus group discussion. Thus, the data
obtained from the participants were analyzed using thematic analysis technique. The result of this study
reveals that, male out migration is both a challenge and an opportunity for women and house hold
member's left behind in the study area. Negative societal attitude, problem of land delineation, migrant
health condition, chain migration, problem of communication, marital instability, inaccessibility of
agricultural inputs, Psychological problem of women and children, child abuse, lack of recognition,
shortage of household labour, gender role confusion and difficulty of managing families of migrant
fathers' are the major .. challenges that adversely affect the wellbeing of rural women and household
members' livelihoods' as a result of male out migration. In order to stand these problems and shocking
and thereby to improve their households' livelihoods, women in the study area had taken many copying
strategies. Some of the copying strategies employed by wives of migrant husbands' are ox sharing system,
t land renting, trying to make frequent communication, and talking with elders. Though male out migration
has adverse impact for. women and their household members', it also has possible opportunities. Of the
opportunities remittances enable women and their families to live in a more comfortable way. Besides,
women involvement in decision making and gradual development of self confidence is the other visible
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1opportunities
Abstract
for women left behind. However, as compared to the diversity of challenges, opportunities
are found out to be limited.