Remittances

This paper compares Japan and the US as they provide different types of capital to the developing world, focusing especially on foreign aid and, to some extent, also on remittances and the role of NGOs. The main focus is on the quality of aid and on past conceptual differences and on an emerging convergence between these two major donors, with Japan having the potential advantage of being able to bring its own historical experience in development to bear.

Recently, several programs have been created to help regulate and improve the positive economic effects of remittance flows on development and poverty reduction. Such programs are incredibly varied in terms of leadership (public, private, PPP, NGO), target countries, and activities, which range from matching remittance funds, pooling remittances for collective action or foreign direct investment, financial training programs for diaspora, and attempts to control how remittance funds are spent. In this paper, such programs will be collectively referred to as remittance management programs.

Remittance management programs are a fairly new phenomenon, and as a result there is little information about what they actually achieve. This paper will attempt to analyze existing information in a new way by discussing the rise of remittances, their potential contributions to development, justifications for remittance management, and a critical review of two remittance management programs, Oxfam Novib Linkis and OFs-ReD. Ideas for future research in order to further expand knowledge on this topic will be identified throughout the paper.

The relationship between overseas Filipino workers and the Philippine government is often portrayed as one of “mutual empowerment.” However, the comparison of the effectiveness of recent policies intended to enfranchise overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and the economic consequences of reliance on OFW remittances questions the validity of this depiction. Rather, the relationship between OFWs and the Philip- pine government is best described as one of “mutual enabling.” The political measures intended to benefit OFWs are often ineffective or may even limit OFWs’ civil liberties, while a remittance-based economy fuels massive consumption spending and entrench- es a culture of political inertia that impedes long-term sustainable development at the national level.

Every year millions of women working millions of jobs overseas send hundreds of millions of dollars in remittance funds back to their homes and communities. These funds go to fill hungry bellies, clothe and educate children, provide health care and generally improve living standards for loved ones left behind. (United Nations Population Fund 2006, 1)

This study challenges proverbial notions by contesting that the definition of skilled human capital should be expanded to include undergraduates, and in doing so, examines three (3) possible factors that increase the propensity of Malaysian undergraduates to return. Relationships between the proposed factors and the undergraduates’ (n=175) propensity to return were statistically colligated, verified and ranked according to their correlational strength. All three independent variables: (1) Social influence: Parents, Friends and Diaspora, (2) Entrepreneurial Opportunities and Venues of Activism (Social Initiatives) and (3) Governmental Engagement of Students are statistically found to be significant at influencing the propensity of Malaysian undergraduates to return. Governmental engagement possesses the highest correlational strength, unearthing new possibilities that could result from their role in undergraduate repatriation. Following that, the implication of the findings on domestic repatriation policies were expounded upon and appropriate recommendations were made as a conclusory discussion.

This first micro-level study of temporary migrants from developing countries in Qatar uses data collected during the summer of 2007. The median migrant has the following profile: male, thirty-one years of age, single and possessing a high school education. He works ten hours a day, six days per week, and earns US$3,945 per annum of which over half is remitted home to his parents. He incurred a job placement fee equivalent to 1.25 times his monthly salary. Using multivariate regression, we find that migrants' capacity for work is positively correlated with age, having a university degree, and satisfaction with sleep and mental wellbeing. Estimates of a remittance function show that males send more money home, and that migrants are motivated to save, therefore a tendency to transfer higher amounts. We also find that older migrants remit more, suggesting that as the likelihood of returning home increases with age, remittance level rises.

Abstract: Remittances are increasingly becoming an important source of external financing for the developing countries. For some of the developing countries, it forms almost 40-50% of their GDP. Though there is a growing literature on the impact of
remittances on development, very few studies have empirically estimated the impact of remittances on poverty in the developing countries. This study undertakes impact analysis of remittances on poverty in developing countries at two levels. Firstly, it estimates the impact of remittances on poverty in 77 developing countries; Secondly, separate analyses are undertaken for 29 developing countries and 21 Asian developing counties, which have 5% or more share of remittances in GDP. The results of the study consistently show that remittances significantly reduce poverty in recipient countries but the results are more reliable for countries with remittances greater than 5% of GDP.

The aim of the paper is to highlight the variables that determine the propensity to receive remittances and the amount of remittances by households in rural Bangladesh. The empirical model incorporated the determinants of remittances in terms of observed migrant and household characteristics that are assumed to capture the underlying motives of remitting suggested by existing theories of remittances. This paper explores the motives that account for the receipt of remittances across rural households in Bangladesh who have migrants in Italy. Unlike most of the existing literature, the research question from the perspective of the recipient household and use it to interpret the determinants/motivations of remittances. The results show that a combination of household and migrant characteristics and some community level variables are the key elements in explaining the remittance behaviour in Bangladesh. Drawing from these estimates, this study conclude that altruism investment and kinship are the three main motives behind remittance flows to Bangladesh and both community variables (NELM and presence of networks in the host country) are strong determinants of the likelihood of receiving remittances by households.

International remittance is now one of talking issues around the world as it has been playing a vital role in socioeconomic development of the developing countries like Bangladesh since last few decades. Thus, the present study explores the impact of international remittances on household poverty and welfare in Bangladesh. To achieve this objective, the study analyses primary data collected from 360 households from Cumilla district of Bangladesh. To find out the impact of remittances on poverty, the study employs the Foster-Greer-Thorbecke (FGT) index. On the other hand, a one way ANOVA test is used to examine the impact of remittances on household welfare. The paper finds that the incidence, depth and severity of poverty among remittance recipient households is quite less than that of remittance non-recipient households. Empirically, the study finds that about 6 percent of remittance recipient households lives below the poverty line while this rate is 48 percent for non-recipient households. The study also finds that the average gross per capita expenditure of remittance receiving households is three times higher than that of non-recipient households which interprets that recipient households enjoy higher level of welfare. Thus, it is found that remittances have significant influence on household welfare. The study recommends nursing international remittances as an important tool in reducing poverty and enhancing welfare.

The research for this Oxfam Novib study was conducted in Cebu City, Philippines, and the surrounding metropolitan area, collectively known as Metro Cebu, which stands as the second most populous metropolitan area in the Philippines behind the Manila complex. The area was described by one of our respondents as having many families with an overseas Filipino worker1 (OFW) member and is therefore a great place to research the effects of change that remittances have on these households. The Philippines as a whole are a ...

This article proposes a conceptual framework for studying remittances as social transactions that can take a number of different forms. For the past three decades, the dominant framework for understanding remittance relationships has been the continuum of senders' motives from altruism to self-interest. This approach has its roots in economics and has shaped much of the quantitative research on remittances. In parallel, a growing body of ethnographic research has examined transnational money transfers with perspectives and data that differ from those of economists. The insights from these ethnographic studies are valuable, but remain fragmented and marginal in research on remittances. Two key points emerge from the ethnographic literature: Remittances are at the core of composite transactions with material, emotional, and relational elements, and there is great variation in the nature and logic of these transactions. The framework proposed here is designed to engage with both complexity and variation. It systematically draws upon a large body of ethnographic literature and introduces remittance scripts as an analytical tool.

Poverty and unemployment more dominant place in rural communities. According to the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) in 1997 due to the economic crisis that hit Indonesia, the number of poor increased and the highest number in the range of 1997-2002 occurred in 1998 in the amount of 49.5 million people (24.4% ) with the percentage of poor people in urban areas it was 17.6% and by 31.9% in rural areas. In 2003 the population of Indonesia, which when viewed from the percentage of poor (Head Count Index or the ratio of the poor to the total population), poor people in rural areas (20.33%) more than those in urban areas (13.57%). From these data it can be observed that the number of poor people in rural areas is much greater than that located in urban areas (BPS, 2003: 1).

ABSTRACT For the last forty years, remittances have been a lifeline for some Filipinos in times of crisis as well as everyday life. So, it was no surprise when the media and nongovernmental organizations credited the Philippine diaspora with playing a significant role in post-disaster recovery after Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda struck in 2013. While remittances poured in after this disaster, they were differently experienced, had different impacts, and led to uneven post-disaster outcomes. This article highlights the class-based inequalities that structure access to and mobilization of remittances after post-disaster recovery. We compare the experiences of middle- and lower-class households in three communities heavily affected by Haiyan in Tacloban City, Philippines, to investigate who benefitted and who was excluded from remittances in this post-disaster recovery. The findings of the case study shed light on wider issues of poverty, class, and vulnerability in the Philippines.

This is my internship report that I have completed for the partial requirement of my MBA degree. This report is thoroughly monitored and supervised by Md. Mahmudul Huq sir. I have created this report based on my internship at Southeast Bank Ltd (14th February - 12th May 2022). This report is based on foreign exchange, foreign trade, imports, exports, analyses, remittances, etc.

Nevoja per te orientuar dergesat e parave dhe kontributet e emigranteve drejt investimeve dhe ekonomise prodhuese duhet te jete nje prioritet per qeverine dhe perfshirjen e tyre si instrumenta reale per ekonomine.

Ne kete mes qeveria mundet te asistoje gjithe komunitetin qe kontribuon ne ekonomine shqiptare nepermjet dergesave te parase duke stimuluar si mekanizmin e dergesave, po ashtu edhe formalizimin e tyre brenda ekonomise formale.

This is the first volume of the Proceedings of The Migration Conference 2020. The Migration Conference 2020 was held online due to COVID-19 Pandemic and yet, in over 80 parallel sessions and plenaries key migration debates saw nearly 500 experts from around the world engaging. This collection contains contributions mainly dealing with migration and integration debates. These are only a subset of all presentations from authors who chose to submit full short papers for publication after the conference. Most of the contributions are work in progress and unedited versions. The next migration conference is going to be hosted by Ming-Ai Institute in London, UK. Looking forward to continuing the debates on human mobility after the Pandemic. | www.migrationconference.net | @migrationevent | fb.me/MigrationConference | Email: [email protected]

Janata Bank Limited is one of the largest state owned commercial banks of Bangladesh. The main objective of the Bank is to provide all possible banking services at the doorsteps of the customers. The Bank also participates in various social and development programs and takes part in implementation of various policies and promises made by the Government. Janata Bank Limited welcomes all to explore the world of progressive banking in Bangladesh. It is a state owned commercial bank and it was born with a new concept of purposeful banking sub serving the growing and diversified financial needs of planned economic development of the country. Now it is known as one of the leading bank of the country since its commencement 45 years ago. Since its inception it is keeping economic contribution and serving a huge number of people, as the part of my internship requirements I had chance to drill with various banking services. This report is a clustered format of JBL's overall innovative banking services. In the report entitled " Remittance Management of Janata Bank Limited "-I have tried exclusively to emphasize on JBL's NRB remittance as well as its management process elaborately.

Migratory context and drivers:
◾Until the early 1990s, Ethiopia was one of the largest sources of refugees and migrants in Africa; since then it has become the largest refugee-hosting country in Africa.
◾Compared with many other countries in Africa, Ethiopia has a relatively low international migration rate. Analysis anticipates Ethiopia may experience rising outward migration rates in the next few decades as it develops and, as a result, continuing migratory pressures.
◾Most migration from Ethiopia is driven by lack of livelihood opportunities – especially for the young.
◾Oppressive political context and insecurity are cited as the second most important migration drivers.
◾Specific groups face migratory pressures from political and economic exclusion and marginalisation.

Outward migration:
◾The few legal options lead to irregular migration – in particular to the Middle East.
◾While the profile of migrants from Ethiopia varies by destination, in general migrants are young and single, increasingly female, and many are Oromo and Amhara people. The majority of legal Ethiopian migrants that go to the Middle East are young women.
◾Many migrants are victims of fraud, forced labour, and physical, sexual, and psychological abuse by employers or traffickers.
◾Secondary outward migration by refugees in Ethiopia (especially Eritreans) to Europe occurs as a result of their frustrations over their lack of opportunities in Ethiopia.

Inward migration:
◾Ethiopia hosts large numbers of refugees – most of whom are women and children – from conflict-affected parts of South Sudan, Somalia and Eritrea. Most refugees are prevented from working, with the exception of some Eritreans who can undertake informal employment.
◾There are also returning migrants, many of whom intend to migrate again.

Internal migration:
◾Migration within Ethiopia is thought to be larger than external flows. Rural-urban migration to improve livelihoods is a low but growing trend, in particular for young people, and can be a first step towards international migration.
◾Other internal displacement has been driven by drought, war, political conflicts, resettlements, villagisation policies and poverty.

Migrant journeys:
◾There are three main irregular routes migrants and refugees take out of Ethiopia:
– Eastern irregular route: desert and sea route from Afar, Dire Dawa, Jijiga, through Djibouti or Somalia, to Yemen and onwards.
– Southern irregular route: overland route from Moyale to Kenya and on to South Africa.
– Northern/western irregular route: overland route from Metema/Wollega province through Sudan and on towards Libya and Europe (by sea).
◾Taking an irregular route means that Ethiopian migrants and refugees are smuggled or trafficked during their journey.
◾The government response has been to legislate against smugglers and traffickers (conflating the two) and to impose a temporary ban on migration to the Middle East between 2013 and 2015. However, there have been few prosecutions and people have taken other illegal routes instead. This may change with the introduction of new legislation.

Development impacts of migration:
◾Remittances, from those abroad and in country, have had a positive effect on households and the country’s development, although some migrants struggle to send them. Officially remittances are worth USD 3-3.5 billion (2014/2015) (the true figure is likely to be higher). Declining international support for assistance to refugees in Ethiopia and the inability of most refugees to engage in livelihood opportunities are contributing to negative development impacts of refugees for Ethiopia.
◾Foreign aid has been credited with contributing to Ethiopia’s development, although it has also been criticised for supporting programmes that are claimed to have contributed to displacement. The effectiveness of donor support in helping to meet development challenges will depend on the Ethiopian government improving governance, empowering local authorities, and becoming more accountable to its citizens.

This is the book of abstracts for the Migration Conference 2020, 8 to 11 September. We’re pleased to welcome you to the 8th Migration Conference. The Migration Conference 2020 is held online via Microsoft Teams platform due to COVID-19 Pandemic restrictions. We have as usual covering a wide array of topics in this year’s edition too. There are about 350 presentations and debates running over 4 days from 8th to 11th September 2020. We have tried to address the time zone differences by moving sessions towards mid-day and grouping presentations, where possible, according to time zones. However, we believe this is not perfect to accommodate hundreds of colleagues from Brazil to Japan, and Australia to Canada. PLEASE NOTE all times are GMT+1 British Summer Time (BST). MS Teams will normally show the times according to your computers local time. Our all-women keynote speakers line up this year features Nissa Finney, Jelena Dzankic, Martina Cvajner, Elli Heikkila, Agnes Igoye, and Helén Nilsson. Although the main language of the conference is English, this year we will have linguistic diversity as usual and there will also be some sessions in Spanish and Turkish. We thank all participants, invited speakers and conference committees for their efforts and contribution. We are particularly grateful to hundreds of colleagues who served as reviewers and helped the selection process.

Chairs: Ibrahim Sirkeci (Chair) and Merita Zulfiu Alili (Co-Chair)

www.migrationconference.net | @migrationevent | fb.me/MigrationConference | Email: [email protected]

Abstract -- Filipino migration is characterized by taking up positions abroad that conform to gender roles, while nonmigrating household members take over the duties of the absent migrant. When those duties do not conform to one’s gender role, one is less likely to perform the duty. In the case of a mother migrating, the father (who is “traditionally” seen as the main breadwinner, but not as the primary parent) is put into a position wherein he earns less than his wife and is expected to take care of the children. However, men are also commonly considered less capable of raising children, despite communications technology having advanced so that dual parenting can still be accomplished from abroad; fathers do not have to be seen as the only parents in this situation. The stigmatization that men experience as a result of their wives migrating has a serious effect on their feelings of masculinity and is further exacerbated by the “New Heroes” national script put forward by the government, which praises migrants as saving the nation while ignoring the equal (or greater) labor carried out in their absence. This thesis, built upon fieldwork conducted in Cebu City, disputes the widespread reputation of men as incapable fathers who rely entirely upon their wives’ remittances, and advocates calling more attention to the gender- and vocation-biased praise of the New Heroes propaganda.

The COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the measures put in place by governments all over the world to contrast its diffusion, are having and will continue to have a strong impact on societies worldwide, as well as on a broad range of economic, political and social sectors. They are also likely to have a significant influence on migration and its governance. At the current stage, it is still difficult to predict how this crisis will unfold and how it will shape migration between Europe and Africa and related policy measures. However, in the last 13 years migration and migration governance have already been influenced by other economic or political “crises”. In 2007– 2008, 2011 and 2015, the financial crisis, the Arab Spring and increased migrant arrivals respectively triggered moments of change and of intense policy negotiations. These have contributed to shape the social, economic and policy environment in which the COVID-19-related crisis is unfolding, as well as policy and programming response mechanisms. Analysing this double impact can serve as a good starting point to reflect on possible consequences of and challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic and on appropriate policy and programmatic responses.
This contribution explores the effects that previous “crises” have had on migration policies, migration flows and migrants´ potential to contribute to household resilience and national development in their countries of origin. It highlights trends that have emerged and analyses how they have contributed to shape the context in which the COVID-19 epidemic is having an impact. Finally, the contribution formulates some policy and data-related recommendations.
It focuses on migration from West Africa to Europe and on policy negotiations within and between the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the European Union (EU).

Since their emergence, blockchain technologies have shown potential for financial inclusion and the formalization of remittances. Recently, regulators and practitioners have studied the capabilities of blockchain technologies to streamline and, potentially, replace the infrastructure underpinning cross-border payments and remittances, i.e., correspondent banking. Correspondent Banking Relationships, also called "Nostro-Vostro accounts," are continuous bilateral arrangements that enable banks to provide services in countries where they do not directly operate. After the Global Financial Crisis, this infrastructure has undergone "de-risking," i.e., a reduction of correspondent accounts and their concentration in fewer financial institutions, with especially detrimental effects on costs and speed of retail cross-border remittances. The existing literature has mostly focused on the point of sale of remittances, often overlooking correspondent banking. This paper, in contrast, connects remittances, blockchain technologies, and correspondent banking with the growing interest of critical social science in the significance of payment infrastructures for the constitution and configuration of money, finance, and markets. By unpacking the critical case of Ripple, this paper shows that blockchain applications to remittances focus on profits, risks, costs, interoperability, "trapped liquidity," and "idle capital" in correspondent banking accounts, rather than on financial inclusion per se. In so doing, this paper contributes to critical social studies literature on the formalization of remittances, understood as the transformation of remittances into a market frontier. Blockchain applications are shown to foster, rather than resist, remittances formalization, and they are presently being incorporated into existing infrastructures, business models, and regulatory structures. Rather than representing radically alternative monetary systems, blockchain technologies are the latest iteration of technologies heralding frictionless capitalism. Lastly, this paper shows the tensions and ambiguities inherent to interoperability and formalization. Blockchain technologies are dynamic in a way that problematizes dichotomies such formal-informal and mainstream-alternative. Hence, rather than providing a quantitative assessment of the impact of blockchain technologies, this paper investigates the ambiguities and tensions in the political economy and imaginaries inscribed in the materiality and design of blockchain-enabled payment systems.

Purpose. More than half of the world's adult population lacks access to credit, insurance, savings accounts, and other forms of formal financial services. Therefore, providing access to financial services for all has become a priority for national policymakers, multilateral institutions and other players in the development and innovation field. The aim of this paper is to answer the following questions: What are the key processes that lead to an inclusive financial system and what are the wider (longer term) impacts of improved financial inclusion on the lives of disadvantaged people, their quality of life and life chances.

Approach. The questions are answered by adopting a multi-stage approach. The first stage involves 'talking' to 'knowledgeable' individuals of agencies/projects that deliver financial inclusion services and aims at getting a sense of the types of agencies that deliver financial inclusion, their experiences with promoting financial inclusion, and the (perceived) wider impact on service users. The second and third stages are central to this paper since they aim at capturing how people make use of financial inclusion services and the longer term impacts of improved financial inclusion on their life chances and quality of life.

Findings. As the economy is moving towards virtual currencies and digital innovations in finance, a bank account has become an essential tool in shaping an inclusive financial system, given its promise to reduce or eliminate the inefficiencies surrounding the conduct of specific types of financial transactions and to increase financial inclusion. Moreover, access to banking is considered a basic necessity in most developed countries. Financial services and instruments play an important role in the process of domestic economic development. While some scholars have focused on the interaction of large or small enterprises, the most important consumers of financial products are the households due to their influence the scale and asset mix of finance.

Value. The paper takes into consideration digital innovations in finance (or FinTech), which have, in recent years, attracted considerable attention from public authorities, financial sector stakeholders and academia, given their promise to reduce or eliminate the inefficiencies surrounding the conduct of specific types of financial transactions, and to increase financial inclusion.

Making decision in order to set off for international destinations is hardly independent of potential economic benefit that spawns in the form of remittances. The primary motivations for migration from developing countries are generally linked to economic opportunities overseas and sharing part of this newly acquired economic opportunity with family members remained behind (Skeldon, 1997; Faist, 2000; Oda, 2004; Piper 2007; de Haas, 2010b; Ullah, 2010; Sirkeci et al., 2012; Rajan, 2012; Adams et al., 2012). Remittance __ one of the direct outcomes of international migration __ is the most beneficial private transactions in the global economy. This often stems from relatively developed economies and goes to the migrant households located in the developing economies. The South Asian region draws nearly one-fourth of global remittance volume that contributes on average to over ten percent of GDP of South Asian countries. This remarkable amount and its potential for development to South Asia justify this volume. By focusing on the manners and means by which the South Asian migrant communities remit back to their countries and the implications of remittances for recipient families and communities, the chapters of this volume seek to contribute to expanding scholarship in the field of remittance.  This volume advances research on migrant remittance in South Asia by shedding light on three key areas: (i) theoretical and conceptual developments, (ii) remittance transfers, and (iii) the implications of migrant remittances for development in South Asia. Some questions that this volume particularly attempts to address are as follows: What remittances exactly refer to? Is the understanding of remittances limited to the fact that transfers of money from migrants to their family members at home? What are the determinants of remittances? What are the channels used and in place to transfer remittances? Why do a considerable number of migrants resort to remit through informal channels in South Asia, despite risks involved? A central element in nearly all discussions of remittances is the question of what their impact is --socially, economically and politically. Are they simply used for consumption? Are they used for productive investment and, if so, how is productive investement perceived? What role does gender play in the remittance use? What is the role of remittances in the SME development in South Asia? How are remittances of deceased migrant recovered and made available to their family members in South Asia? How do remittances affect fertility behavior in South Asia? Who are the family members who receive them, and what are their expectations and how different are the migrants’ expectations from the users)? These questions weave through the chapters of this volume.

ii Gender Dimensions of Remittances: A Study of Indonesian Domestic Workers in East and Southeast Asia UNIFEM is the women's fund at the United Nations. It provides financial and technical assistance to innovative programmes and strategies to foster women's empowerment and gender equality. Placing the advancement of women's human rights at the centre of all of its efforts, UNIFEM focuses its activities on four strategic areas: