The desire of young Hondurans to migrate is influenced by aspects beyond poverty and violence

Why are so many young Hondurans on their way north?

Research by me and two colleaguespublished within the journal “International Migration”, examined the aspects that young people – aged 16 to 29 – to go away the Central American country and emigrate to the USA

We found that resilience, which we define as access to social resources and native support, was a key consider the decision-making process. This contradicts the common belief that folks who’ve employment and a robust support network are more likely not to hunt opportunities elsewhere.

Using survey data from a sample of young people participating in an expert development program in violence-prone areas, we examined young people’s sense of social connectedness, community belonging, and support and Desire to migrate.

In particular, we examined how their perceptions and skill to depend on local support systems – something called multisystem resilience – influenced their relocation plans.

The reality we found is complex, highlighting the nuanced interaction between resilience and migration intentions. It seems that young, working Hondurans with higher safety networks have the best desire to go away the country. We suspect it’s because young people who find themselves employed and have the economic and social resources to think beyond immediate needs are more inclined to search for higher opportunities elsewhere. Multi-system resilience gives them the resources to think about migration as a viable option.

Because emigration is pricey and the individuals in our study come from economically disadvantaged areas, unemployed youth have lower migration intentions. Moreover, amongst those that are unemployed, access to social resources doesn’t influence their plans to maneuver north. In this context, unemployed youth will probably want to use their resilience to seek out a job and meet their basic, immediate needs moderately than planning a move abroad.

Why it can be crucial

A deeper understanding of the interplay between resilience and migration intentions could help to administer and, ideally, reduce the will to migrate through supportive measures comparable to mentoring initiatives and networked social, economic and environmental programs geared toward interrupting the flow of migration.

In recent years, a whole bunch of 1000’s of Hondurans launched into a dangerous journey to the United StatesPrevious surveys we conducted also found that 55% of young Hondurans migrate inside the following three years.

What isn’t yet known

The challenges behind migration from Honduras are clear, but essential questions on the long-term impacts and possible solutions remain unanswered.

Young people feel torn between saying goodbye to family members – and find a way to supply for his or her families with remittances – or stay in Honduras and face an uncertain future. In some ways, Hondurans are caught in a dilemma, as each options present difficult selections.

What's next

More work must be done to explore what modern approaches Honduras could adopt to retain talented young adults and promote local development within the face of brain drain that’s depleting the country of human capital.

Our research suggests that targeted interventions comparable to mentoring programs could help at-risk youth see a future of their home country. Such initiatives could provide the support needed to scale back migration by helping youth navigate difficult life transitions, including coping with changes at school or the transition to maturity. Appropriate mentors, chosen for his or her expertise and experience, may find a way to cushion individuals against the temptation to migrate.

We wish to learn more about what specific skills and private development goals may help young people construct a promising future filled with potential of their home country.

By understanding the interaction between resilience and migration intentions, we hope to pave the best way for greater collaboration between government agencies, private sector firms, and international partners to extend the will to remain and achieve Honduras and other Central American countries.

The University of Notre Dame Tom Hare And Laura Miller-Graff was co-author of the study.

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